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Author: 


Lehmann,  Helen  Mary 


Title: 


Leather  goods  and  gloves 


Place: 


New  York 

Date: 

1922 


MASTER   NEGATIVE   # 


COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARIES 
PRESERVATION  DIVISION 

BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MICROFORM  TARGET 


ORIGINAL  MATERIAL  AS  FILMED  -    EXISTING  BIBLIOGRAPHIC  RECORD 


rn 


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Lehmann,  Helen  Mary,  188 

...  LcntlKT  «()0(1s  niul  gloves,  by  irdeii  JMarv  Loliniami 
...    Now  York,  Tlio  Kounld  press  company,  1922. 

xviii,  224  p.    front.,  illus.,  plates.     19^'".     (Merchandise  manual  series) 

Pitblislicd  1917  as  one  of  the  Department  store  merchandise  manuals  under 
the  title  1  he  leather  goo<ls  department,  by  Mary  A.  Lehmann. 
"B(jok-s  for  reference":  p.  215. 


1.  Leather  industry  and  trade.        i.  Title. 


Library  of  Congress 
Copyright     A  692/08 


^   IIF5461.D52    vol.2 
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Columbia  (Hnitoetsttp 


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MERCHANDISE  MANUAL  SERIES 


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LEATHER  GOODS  AND 

GLOVES 


BY 

HELEN  MARY  LEHMANN,  B.A. 

Member  of  Editorial  Staff,  Dry  Goods  Economist;  formerly 
Instructor  in  Merchandise,  New  York  City  Department 
Stores,  Texas  State  University,  and  New  York  University 


NEW  YORK 
THE  RONALD  PRESS  COMPANY 

1928 


INTENTIONAL     SECOND  EXPOSURE 


K-Jfiy' 


MERCHANDISE  MANUAL  SERIES 


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LEATHER  GOODS  AND 

GLOVES 


BY 

HELEN  MARY  LEHMANN,  B.A. 

Member  of  Editorial  Staff,  Dry  Goods  Economist:  formerly 
Instructor  in  Merchandise,  New  York  City  Department 
Stores,  Texas  State  University,  and  New  York  University 


NEW  YORK 
THE  RONALD  PRESS  COMPANY 

1922 


I 


I 


Copyright,  1917,  by 
The  Ronald  Press  Company 


Copyright,  1922,  by 

The  Ronald  Press  Company 

AU  rights  reserved 


to  Mrs.  Henry  Ollesheiiner,  Miss 
Virginia  Potter,  and  Miss  Anne 
Morgan,  who  desiring  to  give 
greater  opportunity  for  advance- 
ment to  commercial  employees  and 
believing  that  all  business  efficiency 
must  rest  upon  a  solid  fotmdation 
of  training  and  education  gave 
years  of  enthusiastic  service  to  the 
testing  of  this  belief. 


^r- 


EDITOR'S   PREFACE 


MERCHANDISE  MANUAL  SERIES 

EDITOR  OF  SERIES 

BEULAH  ELFRETH  KENNARD,  M.A. 

Ponnerly  Director  of  Department  Store  Courses,  New  York 

University;  Chairman  of  Committee  on  Merchandise  Courses 

for  New  York  City  Public  Schools;   Educational  Director, 

Department  Store  Education  Association 

CONSULTING  EDITOR 

LEE  GALLOWAY,  Ph.D. 

Professor  of  Commerce  and  Industry,  Head  of  Department 
of  Management,  and  formerly  Director  of  Training  School 
for  Teachers  of  Retail  Selling,  New  York  University ; 
formerly    Educational    Director,  the  National  Commercial 

Gas  Association 


As  "Department  Store  Merchandise  Manuals"  these 
books  were  originally  written  for  salespeople  and  were 
designed  to  give  them  reliable  information  concerning 
the  sources  and  manufacturing  processes  of  the  mer- 
chandise which  they  handle.  When  it  was  necessary 
to  deal  with  scientific  or  historical  material  it  was 
treated  as  simply  and  concretely  as  possible  and  the 
point  of  view  taken  was  that  of  business  rather  than 
that  of  the  school  or  laboratory.  In  this  form  they 
have  proved  their  practical  value  not  only  to  the  de- 
partment store  salesperson  but  in  the  specialty  shop. 
It  has  been  pointed  out,  however,  that  the  material  has 
a  wider  scope  than  that  of  sales  manuals  alone. 

As  reference  books,  librarians  will  find  the  short, 
clear  statements  and  full  indexes  invaluable. 

As  an  encyclopaedia  of  merchandise  the  series  con- 
tains scientific  information  in  a  simple,  compact  form 
which  makes  it  available  for  children  and  others  to 
whom  the  subjects  treated  are  unfamiliar. 

As  textbooks  they  are  adapted  for  use  in  commercial 
schools,  high  schools,  night  schools,  settlement  classes, 
and  by  teachers  of  household  arts  and  domestic  science. 


VI 


EDITOR'S  PREFACE 


As  source  books  for  practical  story-telling,  kinaer- 
gartners,  primary  and  vacation  school  teachers  will 
find  in  them  an  abundance  of  interesting  material  for 
short  "true"  stories  on  the  various  industries  and  crafts, 
the  manufacture  of  household  articles,  such  as  pins 
and  needles,  as  well  as  the  making  of  pottery,  glass,  and 
steel.  These  manuals  contain  just  the  material  often 
hunted  for  in  vain  by  teachers  and  librarians. 

As  household  helps  and  shopping  guides  the  young 
housekeeper  will  find  the  manuals  her  best  friends  be- 
cause they  not  only  describe  the  manufacturing  pro- 
cesses but  tell  her  how  to  distinguish  well-made  articles 
of  good  materials  from  the  inferior  and  badly  made. 
They  also  tell  her  how  to  care  for  the  clothing  or 
household  goods  which  she  has  bought. 

For  salespeople  and  storekeepers  they  supply  the 
general  and  specific  information  about  their  merchan- 
dise which  is  indispensable  to  efficiency,  yet  very 
hard  to  gather  from  the  scattered  sources  upon  which 
they  now  depend. 

These  changes  should  enlarge  the  usefulness  of  the 
manuals  without  losing  any  of  their  specific  value  in 
the  field  of  salesmanship. 

We  wish  to  express  our  grateful  appreciation  to  the 
manufacturers  and  experts  who  have  given  us  such 
valuable  counsel  and  cordial  co-operation. 

Beulah  Elfreth  Kennard. 


AUTHOR'S  PREFACE 

It  is  the  purpose  of  this  manual  to  supply  information 
in  regard  to  the  different  kinds  of  leather  and  the  methods 
of  making  the  various  articles  sold  in  the  Leather  Goods 
Department.  A  knowledge  of  leather  is  becoming  in- 
creasingly more  important  as  the  many  new  processes  of 
tanning  and  finishing  leather  are  developed  and  the  manu- 
facture of  leather  goods  becomes  an  even  greater  industry. 

The  information  presented  is  the  result  of  observation 
of  methods  in  some  of  the  leading  tanneries  and  leather 
goods  manufactories  of  the  country. 

In  order  to  complete  this  outline  manual  on  leather 
goods,  a  section  on  gloves  has  been  added,  as  the  impor- 
tance of  knowing  about  gloves,  their  manufacture, 
qualities,  and  care,  is  in  proportion  to  their  universal  use. 

Leather  in  all  of  its  manufactured  forms  is  deserving 
of  much  more  study  than  it  has  received  from  purchasers 
and  students  of  commercial  products  as  well  as  sales- 
people. The  chapters  giving  suggestions  to  the  latter  are 
equally  valuable  to  the  purchaser  because  they  refer  to 
quality,  suitability,  and  service,  not  to  methods  of  selling. 

Grateful  appreciation  for  assistance  is  due  to  C.  R. 
Oberfell  of  the  American  Leather  Chemists*  Association; 
W.  H.  Mulford,  Sales  Manager  of  England  Walton  Com- 

vu 


VIU 


AUTHOR'S  PREFACE 


pany,  leather  manufacturers,  Philadelphia;  Kaufherr  and 
Company,  tanners;  K.  Kaufmann  and  Company,  manu- 
facturers of  leather  goods;  Rice  and  Wallenstein, 
manufacturers  of  hand-bags;  the  Technology  Depart- 
ment of  the  New  York  Public  Library;  and  for  illustra- 
tions to  K.  Kaufmann  and  Company,  F.  A,  Ringler 
Company,  Louis  Meyers  and  Sons,  and  W.  H.  Mulford. 

Helen  Mary  Lehmann. 


CONTENTS 


PART  I— LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


CHAPTER 

I    Introductory 


PAGE 

I 


Divisions  of  the  Department 
Characteristics  of  the  Stock 
Knowledge  of  Leather  Essential 


II 


Leather 

Differences  in  Leathers 

Cow  or  Calf 

Sheep 

Goat 

Deer 

Horse 

Pig 

Kangaroo 

Seal 

Walrus 

Alligator 

Fish  and  Other  Miscellaneous  Skins 


III    Classification  of  Skins   .     . 

The  Raw  Goods 

Quality 

How  to  Distinguish  Different  Grades 

Weight  and  Size 

Method  of  Preservation 


12 


i* 


IV    Preparation  for  Tannage 

Condition  of  Raw  Material 

Cleansing 

Liming 


17 


IX 


z 

CONTENTS 

CHAPTER 

Structure  of  Skin 

Action  of  Lime  on  the  Skin 

Sweating 

Dehairing 

Fleshing 

Rounding 

Raising  and  Swelling 

V 

Tannage     

PAGE 


ri 


34 


i.M 


Purpose 

Means 

Methods 

Tannin 

Oak  and  Hemlock  Bark 

Sumac 

Primitive  Methods  of  Tamiing 

Modern  Methods 

Tannage  of  Sole-Leather 

Tanning  by  Machine 

Striking 

Oiling 

Drying 

VI    Tannage  by  Chemicals     ..... 

Methods 

Tawing 

Process  of  Tawing 

Egging  or  Pasting 

Finishing  Processes  in  Tawing 

Disadvantages  of  Tawing 

Chrome  Tanning 

Characteristics  of  Chrome-Tanned  Leather 

Process  of  Chrome  Tanning 

History  of  Chrome  Tanning 

Formaldehyde  Tanning 

VII     Chamoying ,..     .     ,.     ,     41 

Definition 

Use 

Preparation  of  the  Skins 

Stocking  or  Milling 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER 

Washing  and  Pressing 

Fat-Liquoring 

Bleaching 

Tanning  by  Electricity 

VIII    Currying  or  Dressing  . 

Definition 

Purpose 

Shaving 

Splitting 

Scouring 

Stuffing 

Dressings  or  Fat-Liquors 

Animal  Oils 

Other  Oils 

Waxes 

Soaps 

Varnishes 

Glue 

Fillers 

Hand-Stuffing 

Drum-Stuffing 

Drying 


XI 

PACX 


45 


IX    Dyeing 

General  Principles 

Water 

Methods 

Bath  Dyeing 

Flat  Surface  Dyeing 

Dyeing  of  Chrome-Tanned  Leather 

Dyeing  of  Chamoyed  Leather 

Kinds  of  Dyes 

Aniline  Dyes 

Natural  Dyes 

Bronzed  Leather 

X    Qualities  of  Good  Leather  . 

Good  Leather 

Texture 

Durability 


55 


.  63 


Xll 
CHAPTER 


CONTENTS 


Softness 

Resistance  to  Water 
Finish 
Color 


PAGI 


^ 


71 


XI    Substitute  Leather 

Varieties 

Reasons  for  Large  Amount  of  Substitute  Leather 

Imitations  Containing  Leather  ""'^  i-eauier 

Leather-Board 

Imitations  Containing  No  Leather 

XII    Preparation  of  Leather  for  Bags  . 

Kinds  of  Leather  Used 
Colors 

Finishing  Processes 

Graining 

Boarding 

Glossing  or  Glazing 

Embossing 

Fluffing 

Buffing 

Enameled  Leather 

Waxed  Leathers 

Satin  or  Glove  Leathers 

XIII    Manufacture  of  Traveling  Bags  and 

Suitcases     .     .  © 

__  oO 

Varieties  of  Traveling  Bags 

Styles 

Materials 

Making  the  Outside  of  the  Bag 

Corners 

Lining 

Attaching  to  Frame 

Finishing 

Sizes 

Styles  of  Suitcases 

Materials  for  Suitcases 

The  Body 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER 

Linings  for  Suitcases 
The  Making  of  Suitcases 
Other  Bags 


XIV    Hand-Bags  and  Purses  . 

Articles 

Leathers 

Finishes  for  Leather 

Morocco 

Cordovan 

Levant 

Suede  Leather 

Silk 

Qasps  and  Trimmings 

Gold 

Silver 

Other  Metals 

Making  Hand-Bags 

Cutting 

Sewing 

Attaching 

Pocketbooks  and  Purses 

Other  Styles 

Articles  for  Men 


XV    Fitted  Bags  and  Cases  .     .. 

Varieties 

Toilet  Cases 

Toilet  Articles 

Materials 

Complete  Manicure  Sets 

Simple  Manicure  Sets 

Manufacture  of  Toilet  Cases 

Pullman  Bags 

Over-Night  Cases        \ 

Motor  Toilet  Cases 

Fitted  Traveling  Bags 

Fitted  Suitcases 

Luncheon  Cases 

Picnic  and  Tea  Baskets 


xiu 

PAGE 


91 


ui;      L«i       •        .ft. 


los 


XIV 
CHAPTER 

XVI    Brushes 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 
112 


XVII 


Necessary  Qualities 

Bristles 

Hog  Bristles 

Fiber  Bristles 

Badcs  of  Brushes 

Wood 

Hard  Rubber  or  Ebonite 

Celluloid 

Amber 

Tortoise  Shell 

Ivory 

Leather 

Silver  or  Gold 

Manufacture  of  Brushes 

Compound  Set 

Compound  Drawn 

Care  of  Brushes 

Combs 

Traveling  Accessories  and  Automobile 
Supplies ^^i 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTEB 

Tooling 

Staining 

Stenciling 

Gilding  and  Bronzing 

Color 

Designs 

Methods  Used  for  Different  Leathers 

Tools 

History  of  Leather  Decoration 

Modern  Centers  of  the  Industry 


XIX    History  and  Sources  of  Leather 


XV 
PAGB 


138 


Traveling  Accessories 
Materials 

Automobile  Supplies 
Thermos  Bottles 

XVIII    Library  Equipment  .     . 

Articles 

Desk  Sets 

Stationery  Cabinets 

Library  Sets 

Desk  Baskets 

Portfolios 

Recording  Books 

Brief-Cases  and  Music  Folios 

Albums 

Covers 

Materials 

Decoration 


XX 


.  126 


Antiquity  of  Leather 

Simplicity  of  Primitive  Methods  of  Tanning 

Beginning  of  Modern  Methods 

Development  of  the  Industry  in  the  United  States 

Sources  of  the  Raw  Material 

The  Leather  Industry  in  Other  Countries 


•   146 


Suggestions  to  Salespeople  . 

Arrangement  and  Display 

Material 

Manufacture 

Points  Desired  in  a  Traveling  Bag 

Suitability 

Suggestions  as  to  Care 

Effect  of  Water 

Effect  of  Heat 

Effect  of  Oil 

Effect  of  Light  and  Gas 

Effect  of  Acids  and  Alkalies 

Pastes,  Polishes,  and  Dressings 


XXI    Classification   of   the   Stock   of   the 

Leather  Goods  Department      .     .     .155 


XVI 


CONTENTS 


CONTENTS 


xvii 


PART  II— THE  GLOVE  DEPARTMENT 


CHAPTER 


CBAPTBR 

XXII 


'ffl' 


.#i 


Introductory  .     . 

Description  of  Department 
Divisions  of  Department 


PAGB 


XXIII    Glove  Leathers 165 

Leathers  Used  for  Gloves 

Kid 

Sheepskin 

Sources  of  Lambskin 

Cape 

Mocha 

Chamois 

Suede  and  Glac6 

Characteristics  of  Glove  Leather 

Preparation  of  Glove  Skins 

Cleansing 

Liming 

Dehairing 

Branding 

Tanning  Glove  Leathers 

Tawing 

Chamoying 

Finishing  Processes — Doling 

Treatment  of  Washable  Leather 


XXVI 


PAGB 

Wool 

Manufacture  of  Knitted  Fabrics 
Cutting  and  Sewing 
Characteristics  of  Fabric  Gloves 
History  of  Knitting 

Men's,  Children's,  and  Special  Lines 
OF  Gloves 188 

Men's  Gloves 

Misses'  Gloves 

Children's  Gloves 

Mitts 

Lined  Gloves 


XXIV    Manufacture  of  Leather  Gloves 

Glove  Patterns 
Cutting 
Glove  Parts 
—       Decoration 
Sewing 
Finishing 
Laying-Off 


.    176 


XXVII    History  of  Gloves 193 

Antiquity  of  Gloves 

The  Modern  Industry 

Introduction  of  Machinery 

Glove  Centers  of  France 

Glove  Centers  in  Other  Countries 

Glove-Making  in  the  United  States 

XXVIII    Knowledge  and  Care  of  Glove  Stock  198 

Knowledge  of  Prevailing  Dress  Fabrics 

Care  of  Glove  Stock 

Importance  of  Correct  Fitting 

Selecting  the  Proper  Glove 

Fitting  the  Glove 

Styles 

Sizes 


XXIX    Care  and  Cleaning  of  Gloves 

Care  of  Gloves  Not  in  Use 
Cleaning 
Washing 


207 


XXV    Fabric  Gloves 

Materials 

Silk 

Cotton 


182 


XXX    Classification  of  Stock  of  the  Glove 

Department 211 


Appendix  (Books  for  Reference) 


215 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


Finishing  Leather  in  Tannery       Frontispiece 

"*'''*"  FACING  PAGE 

I.  Common  Leathers ...,,,,  6 

3.  Fiber  Board 9o 

3.  Traveling  Bag  of  Seal go 

4.  Gladstone  Bag ^ 

5.  Cabin-Top  Bag 26 

6.  Fitted  Toilet   Case |,o 

7.  Fitted  Traveling  Bag no 

8.  Methods  of  Inserting  Bristles  in  Brushes   .     (on  page)  119 

9.  Examples  of  Leathers,  Stitching,  Sewing,  Embroidery, 

and  Seams  of  Ladies'  Gloves 180 

10.  Sueded  Fabric  Novelties 185 

11.  Examples  of  Leathers,  Stitching,  Qasps,  and  Seams  of 

Men's  Gloves     ^ igg 


xvui 


LEATHER  GOODS  AND 

GLOVES 


Part  I — Leather  Goods  Department 

Chapter  I 

INTRODUCTORY 

Divisions  of  the  Department 

The  merchandise  of  the  Leather  Goods  Department 
when  it  is  well  arranged  in  the  show  cases  and  on  the 
shelves  and  counters  makes  one  of  the  handsomest  dis- 
plays of  the  store.  Its  wide  variety  of  articles  is 
usually  grouped  into  the  following  seven  general 
divisions,  each  being  a  complete  stock  in  itself : 

1.  Suitcases  and  Traveling  Bags 

2.  Hand-Bags  and  Purses 

3.  Fitted  Bags,  Toilet  Cases,  and  Toilet  Articles 

4.  Traveling  Accessories  and  Automobile  Supplies 

5.  Sewing  Equipment,  Fancy  Boxes 

6.  Library  Equipment  and  Brief  Cases 

7.  Dog  Fittings,  Belts,  Trunk  Straps 

Characteristics  of  the  Stock 

Suitcases  are  made  of  leather,  fiber,  wicker,  and 

I 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


matting.  These  are  staple  stock  and  do  not  vary  much 
from  season  to  season  in  quality,  size,  and  style.  They 
may  be  fitted  or  imfitted.     Week-end  cases  vary  more. 

Traveling  bags,  generally  made  of  the  stronger 
leathers,  as  sole,  calf,  and  walrus,  are  shown  in  several 
recognized  standard  styles.  They  may  be  fitted  or 
unfitted,  and  in  sizes  varying  to  suit  the  purpose.  The 
prevailing  colors  are  tan  and  black. 

The  second  division  of  stock,  comprising  hand-bags, 
purses,  pocketbooks,  wallets,  bill  folders,  card-cases, 
etc.,  is  large  and  varied  in  styles,  sizes,  and  colors. 

Hand-bags  are  of  beautifully  finished  leather  and 
rich  textiles,  such  as  Morocco  and  seal,  velvet  brocade 
and  moire.  Some  of  them  are  conveniently  fitted; 
some  elaborately  trimmed  with  fringe  and  beadwork, 
or  decorated  in  handsome  metal  mounts;  some  are  of 
Oriental  leather,  artistically  hand-painted  in  har- 
monious colors ;  others  are  of  suede,  patent  leather,  or 
dull-finish  leather  which  may  be  decorated  in  applique 
of  green  and  gold. 

In  this  stock  as  in  the  fancy  leather  goods  there  are 
noticeable  changes  from  year  to  year.  Variation  is 
shown  in  shapes,  styles,  and  materials. 

Leather  novelties,  as  desk  sets,  portfolios,  cases, 
boxes,  belts,  etc.,  are  constantly  appearing  in  new  and 
popular  color  effects,  in  original  styles,  and  in  clever 
designs. 


INTRODUCTORY  3 

tCnowledge  of  Leather  Essential 

The  principal  material  for  the  goods  of  this  depart- 
ment is  leather,  although  metal  and  wood  for  frames, 
and  textiles  for  linings  are  of  great  importance  and 
affect  the  quality,  durabihty,  and  suitability  of  the 
finished  article. 

Since  leather  is  the  chief  material,  it  is  essential  to 
have  a  knowledge  of  the  various  kinds,  their  wearing 
qualities,  preparation,  and  appropriateness  for  use  in 
the  various  forms  of  merchandise.  Almost  every  kind 
of  leather  both  genuine  and  imitation  is  represented  — 
from  the  strong  and  tough  genuine  cowhide  of  suit* 
cases  or  the  fine-grained  imitation  seal  of  the  hand- 
bag to  the  soft  and  delicate  snakeskin  of  which  coin 
purses  are  sometimes  made. 

For  bags  and  suitcases  the  most  common  leathers 
are  cowhide,  calf,  sole,  alligator,  walrus,  pigskin,  seal, 
and  colt.  These  may  be  called  long  grain,  boarded,  or 
enameled  according  to  the  finish  given  them.  In  the 
hand  bags  are  seal,  Morocco,  Russia,  goat,  sheep,  and 
other  light  leathers.  These  are  also  used  in  the  fancy 
goods  together  with  lizard,  snake,  and  other  novelties, 
made  up  in  attractive  shapes,  natural  or  imitation  grain, 
and  with  artistic  decoration  in  design  and  color. 


tl 


1 


■  f 


:   ^1 


Chapter  II 

LEATHER 
Differences  in  Leathers 

The  skins  of  the  various  animals  have  characteristic 
quaHties  which  make  them  valuable  for  some  one  or 
more  of  the  particular  uses  to  which  leather  is  put.  A 
great  deal  depends  upon  the  structure  of  the  skin.  In 
some  the  fibers  of  the  skin  are  short  and  irregular,  in 
others  long  and  arranged  in  parallel  order  or  inter- 
laced. The  fibers  also  vary  in  strength.  Large  fibers 
usually  occur  in  parallel  arrangement  and  are  often 
weak,  as  in  sheepskin,  making  the  skin  unsuitable  for 
purposes  where  durability  is  essential.  The  flexibility 
of  this  skin,  however,  and  its  suitability  for  dyeing 
make  it  valuable  for  gloves  and  fancy  leathers. 

Alligator  and  crocodile  skins  are  valuable  because  of 
their  unusual  grain  and  also  because  of  their  durability. 
Other  leathers  have  a  recognized  quality  and  suitability 
for  certain  purposes.  The  leather  dealer  and  manu- 
facturer select  and  prepare  their  leather  goods  with 
this  in  mind. 


LEATHER  S 

Cow  or  Calf 

The  differences  between  cowhide  and  calf  are  dif- 
ferences due  to  the  age  of  the  animal.  Cowhide  is 
taken  from  animals  over  a  year  old,  calf  from  year- 
lings. The  French  are  very  skilful  in  treating  the 
skins  of  five  and  six  months*  old  calves.  If  the  calves 
are  younger  than  this  the  skins  are  only  suitable  for 
parchment. 

The  fibers  of  both  cowhide  and  calf  are  tough  and 
closely  interwoven,  so  that  the  leather  is  strong,  dur- 
able, and  impervious  to  moisture,  yet  of  fine  texture, 
handsome  grain,  and  pliable. 

Cowhide  is  used  for  suitcases,  traveling  bags,  and 
brief  cases,  where  a  heavy,  dependable  leather  is 
needed. 

Calf  is  excellent  for  fancy  goods,  and,  as  it  takes  a 
high  polish,  is  much  used  for  enameled  and  patent 
leathers. 

Sheep 

Sheepskin  is  a  fine,  pliable  leather,  but  is  inferior  to 
kid  in  firmness  and  texture.  It  is  used  largely  for 
shoe  linings  and  gloves.  The  skins  of  most  domestic 
sheep  are  not  strong  enough  for  the  outer  part  of  the 
shoe  or  for  bag  leathers.  Some  Asiatic  sheep  hides, 
however,  are  strong  enough  to  be  used  for  the  cheaper 
grades  of  women's  and  children's  shoes.     Sheepskins 


!  M 


it 


6      LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 

are  not  sold  by  weight,  as  are  other  skins,  but  classed 
as  firsts,  seconds,  thirds,  etc. 

Lambskin  has  a  fine  grain  and  delicate  texture  and 
can  be  easily  dyed.  It  is,  therefore,  one  of  the  most 
desirable  glove  leathers. 

Goat 

Goatskin  makes  a  soft,  pliable,  and  firm  leather, 
which  takes  a  good  finish  for  colored  goods  such  as 
Morocco  or  Turkey  leather.  It  differs  from  sheepskin 
in  having  its  fibers  interlaced  instead  of  running  in 
parallel  rows.  For  this  reason  it  holds  together  in  all 
directions  instead  of  splitting  in  layers  as  sheepskin  is 
apt  to  do.  The  best  skins  come  from  Mexico  where 
the  animal  is  used  as  a  farm  and  dairy  animal,  and  are 
known  as  Tampico  skins.  They  are  large,  and  pro- 
duce a  plump  leather  of  fine  grain. 

Good  goatskins  also  come  from  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope  and  the  mountain  districts  of  Europe.  The 
fibers  of  these  skins  are  long,  thick,  and  strong.  Swiss 
goatskins  have  a  fine  grain  and  make  a  strong,  durable 
leather.  Russia  produces  large  numbers  of  goats. 
Spanish  and  German  goatskins  are  of  a  high  grade. 
Those  from  Turkey,  known  as  Levant,  are  coarse  in 
grain  and  texture.  African  skins  are  fine  and  clean 
and  produce  leather  of  good  substance.  Abyssinian 
goatskins  have  a  tough,  compact,  bold  grain. 


-- 

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Courtesy  of  F.  A.  Ringlet  Company 


Morocco 

Pigskin 

Box  Calf 

Lizard 

Levant 

Persian  Goatskin 


Alligator  (Fine) 
Hornback  Alligator 
Goatskin 
Cross  Grain 
Walrus  (Fine) 
Walrus  (Coarse) 


Seal 

Seal  (Coarse) 

Fancy  Pattern 

Japanese  Pattern 

Defregger  Model  Design 

Leaf  Design 


Figuie  I.     Common  Leathers 


LEATHER  7 

The  goats  of  all  these  various  countries  differ 
because  of  the  conditions  under  which  they  pasture  and 
grow.  They  are  usually  raised  in  small  numbers, 
especially  in  India,  Africa,  or  China.  The  skins  are 
gathered  up  by  small  collectors  who  send  them  to  the 
large  dealers. 

Less  time  is  required  for  tanning  of  goatskins  than 
for  the  heavier  skins,  and  all  kinds  of  tannage  are 
used.  Goatskins  are  used  today  largely  for  patent  or 
enameled  goods,  for  matt  or  dull  kid,  and  also  for 
Morocco  leather.  They  appear  in  these  finishes  in  the 
bags,  pocketbooks,  fancy  goods,  uppers  of  ladies'  shoes, 

etc. 

Kid  or  young  goatskin  is  a  thin,  flexible  leather  used 
for  bags,  pocketbooks,  and  pre-eminently  for  gloves. 
It  is  too  delicate  for  shoes,  though  modern  methods  of 
tannage  are  successful  in  toughening  goatskin  so  that 
it  may  be  used  instead  of  calfskin. 

Deer 

Deerskin  is  a  superior  skin.  It  is  used  principally 
for  uppers  of  shoes  or  for  chamois  or  wash  gloves. 
Buckskin  was  formerly  deerskin,  but  today  it  is  largely 
suede-finished  cow  or  calfskin. 

Elkskin,  which  is  obtained  from  a  species  of  deer 
which  inhabits  the  northern  forests,  makes  a  strong, 
thick  leather  for  gloves. 


8 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


The  largest  deer  forests  are  in  Scotland  where  the 
deer  are  kept  wild. 

Chamois,  which  is  a  species  of  deer,  yields  a  soft, 
pliable  leather.  The  animal  lives  in  the  highest  part 
of  the  Alps.  Most  of  the  so-called  chamois  of  today 
is  made  from  split  sheepskin. 

Horse 

Horsehide  is  a  tough  leather,  particularly  useful  for 
japanning  and  enameling.  It  possesses  about  twice 
the  strength  of  calfskin.  Because  the  fibers  are  tightly 
interlaced  it  is  more  nearly  water-proof  than  the  skin 
of  any  other  land  animal. 

The  wild  horses  of  South  America  and  Russia 
supply  hides  for  most  of  this  leather.  Only  a  com- 
paratively small  amount  of  leather  from  each  horse  is 
used,  considering  the  size  of  the  animal.  A  strip  about 
3  feet  long  and  about  half  as  wide  is  taken  from  the 
rump. 

Coltskin,  which  is  split  horsehide  or  coltskin,  has  a 
firm,  solid  texture  suitable  for  patent  leathers. 

Pig 

Pigskin  is  used  for  bags,  saddles,  and  fancy  leather 
goods.  It  is  a  tough,  light  colored,  handsome,  flexible 
leather.  Good  pigskin  is  prepared  in  Austria  and 
Scotland. 


LEATHER  9 

Kangaroo 

Kangaroo  is  a  leather  of  excellent  quality,  strong, 
durable,  supple,  and  elastic,  but  the  supply  is  limited 
and  uncertain.  If  light  it  makes  a  good  substitute  for 
kid. 

Wallaby  is  a  variety  of  kangaroo.  Both  animals 
live  in  Australia. 

Seal 

Sealskin  is  very  largely  used  for  bags,  purses,  and 
in  fact  for  all  fancy  goods.  It  is  an  exceedingly  strong 
leather,  of  compact  texture,  generally  finer  on  the 
grain,  or  hair  side.  When  seal  has  a  large,  coarse 
grain  it  is  known  as  Levant  seal.  Seal  is  often  used 
in  enameled  or  japanned  goods,  and  it  is  sometimes 
split.     Figure  3  shows  a  traveling  bag  of  seal. 

The  seal  used  for  leather  goods  is  an  animal  found 
in  Labrador  and  other  Arctic  regions.  It  differs  from 
the  Alaskan  fur  seal  in  having  a  much  coarser  coat.  It 
is  captured  for  its  oil  as  well  as  its  skin.  Some  seal 
fishing  expeditions  bring  in  as  many  as  30,000  skins. 

Walrus 

Walrus  skin  is  a  rugged,  tough  leather  used  for 
traveling  bags,  for  machinery  belts,  and  for  uppers  of 
shoes.    The  hide  is  tawny  brown  in  color,  flexible,  and 


M 


K  I  ' 


0.  Jj 


lO 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


so  tough  that  bullets  penetrate  it  with  difficulty.  Like 
the  seal  the  walrus  is  an  Arctic  marine  animal,  and  its 
supply  has  been  greatly  reduced  by  the  reckless 
slaughter  by  sealers  and  whalers. 

Alligator 

Alligator  is  a  fine,  tough,  close-fibered  leather  of 
scaly  surface,  used  principally  for  bags,  portfolios, 
purses,  cigar  cases,  etc.  The  leather  is  taken  from  the 
belly  and  flanks  of  the  animals.  Only  the  skins  of 
young  animals  are  used  and  the  backs  of  these  are 
thrown  away  as  they  are  too  heavy.  The  skins  are 
sometimes  twenty  feet  long.  The  chief  sources  of 
supply  are  Florida,  Louisiana,  Central  and  South 
America. 

The  crocodile  is  closely  allied  to  the  alligator.  The 
skin  of  the  whole  body  is  a  scaly,  hard,  horny  water- 
proof covering. 

Fish  and  Other  Miscellaneous  Skins 

Porpoise  skin  is  soft,  strong,  and  tough,  and  is  much 
used  for  boxes  and  fancy  goods.  The  upper  surface 
of  the  skin  is  almost  black  and  the  under  part  white. 
The  porpoise  is  a  small  whale  found  in  northern 
oceans. 

Sharkskins  are  valuable  for  shoe-making  and  sad- 
lery  and  also  for  fancy  goods. 


LEATHER 


II 


Various  other  fishskins  are  used  for  purses  and 
other  light  goods. 

Frogskins  are  sometimes  used  in  novelty  goods,  card- 
cases,  purses,  etc. 

Snakeskins,  such  as  those  of  the  African  and  Asiatic 
boa  constrictor,  are  used  for  fancy  goods,  purses,  etc., 
and  are  treated  so  that  the  natural  colors  and  markings 
are  preserved. 


Chapter  III 

CLASSIFICATION  OF  SKINS 

The  Raw  Goods 

The  skins  from  which  leather  is  made  are  collected 
from  ranches,  slaughter  houses,  or  fellmongers 
(traders  in  skins)  by  leather  merchants. 

The  manufacturer  buys  the  skins  from  this  leather 
merchant,  usually  through  a  broker,  who  has  expert 
knowledge  in  selecting  stock,  although  some  large 
houses  buy  directly  from  the  importers. 

The  three  things  which  are  to  be  considered  in  buy- 
ing the  raw  goods  are: 
Quality 

Weight  or  size 
Method  of  preservation 

Quality 

The  quality  of  hides  and  skins  is  affected  by  the  con- 
ditions under  which  the  animal  has  lived,  such  as  the 
locality  and  climate  from  which  it  comes,  its  food,  age, 
and  condition  of  health  when  killed.  The  Buenos 
Ayres  hides  obtained  from  the  southern  parts  of  the 

13 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  SKINS 


13 


country  are  considered  stouter  and  of  finer  texture 
than  those  of  the  Uruguay  and  Rio  Grande.  The 
fattening  of  cattle  and  sheep  for  the  production  of 
good  beef  and  mutton  renders  the  hides  much  thin- 
ner and  weaker  than  those  of  less  pampered  ani- 
mals, though  they  may  still  be  of  good  size  and 
weight.  Wild  cattle  exposed  to  the  weather  have 
thick  skins  of  coarse  texture,  while  breeding  to  in- 
crease meat  and  milk  produces  a  thinner,  larger,  and 
finer  hide. 

How  to  Distinguish  Different  Grades 

The  hides  and  skins  of  the  various  animals  can  be 
distinguished  by  size,  thickness,  fineness  or  coarseness 
of  texture,  and  by  the  arrangement  and  size  of  the  hair 
cells  which  appear  on  the  grain  side.  These  cells 
become  larger  as  the  animal  grows  older.  For  this 
reason  cowhide  has  a  coarser  grain  than  calf,  and  goat 
than  kid. 

Sex  also  determines  the  quality  of  hide.  Cow  and 
especially  heifer  hides  are  thin  and  fine,  while  bull 
hides  are  loose  in  texture.  Oxhide  is  finer  and  more 
compact  than  bull. 

Different  parts  of  the  body  also  produce  different 
qualities  of  leather.  Oxhides,  from  which  sole  leather 
is  made,  are  thickest  on  the  back. 

The  skins  of  diseased  animals  show  inferiority  after 
tanning  if  not  before. 


H 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


Knowing  these  characteristics  and  being  able  to  con- 
trol them  to  a  certain  extent,  the  stock  raiser  and 
leather  dealer  may  unite  to  produce  and  select  the 
various  skins  suitable  for  manufacturing  purposes. 

Weight  and  Size 

Pelts,  the  term  applied  to  all  skins  before  they  are 
converted  into  leather,  are  known  commercially  under 
three  different  heads  as : 
Hides 
Kips 
Skins 

Hides  are  the  skins  of  the  larger  and  full  grown 
animals,  such  as  the  ox,  cow,  bull,  buffalo,  horse,  and 
hippopotamus,  and  are  used  for  sole  leathers,  heavy 
bags,  machinery  belting,  etc.  In  weight  the  hides  are 
above  25  lbs. 

Kips  are  the  skins  of  smaller  or  under-sized  animals 
of  the  bovine  race.  The  word  is  from  "  kip  "  meaning 
the  skin  of  the  small  native  cattle  of  India  which  is 
imported  into  England  in  enormous  quantities  both  in 
the  raw  and  partly  tanned  state.  They  are  suitable 
for  the  heavier  fancy  leather  goods  and  for  shoes. 
Kips  usually  weigh  between  15  and  25  lbs.  Below  15 
lbs.  they  are  known  as  skins. 

Skins  are  the  skins  of  smaller  animals,  such  as  the 
calf,  sheep,  goat,  deer,  etc.    They  are  light  and  pliable 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  SKINS 


IS 


and  are  used  for  lighter  shoes,  gloves,  bags,  and  fancy 
leathers. 

Method  of  Preservation 

Skins  are  also  classified  according  to  the  method  and 
state  of  preservation  in  which  they  come  to  the  tan- 
nery, as : 

Fresh  or  green,  as  from  the  slaughter  houses  of 

Great  Britain  or  the  United  States,  fresh  from 

the  animal. 
Dried,  as  imported  from  Buenos  Ayres  and  the 

Cape  of  Good  Hope,  stretched  on  boards  in  the 

sun. 
Salted,  as  from  the  River  Plata  and  Australia,  salt 

spread  over  the  flesh  side. 
Dried  and  salted,  as  imported  from  Brazil  and  the 

West  Indies. 

The  green  hides  are  of  course  more  readily  and  less 
expensively  prepared  and  for  this  reason  more  desir- 
able, other  things  being  equal,  since  the  dried  and  salted 
ones  must  be  first  brought  back  to  the  condition  of 
green  hides  before  they  can  be  tanned.  Hides  from 
the  more  temperate  regions  are  salted  and  exported  as 
wet  salted,  while  those  from  the  tropics  and  dried  in 
the  sun,  are  dry  salted. 

In  general  the  method  of  removing  and  preparing 


i6 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


the  pelt  for  the  tanner  is  that  employed  in  the  stock 
yards  of  the  great  packing  houses,  whence  they  are 
shipped  to  the  tanneries  as  a  by-product  of  the  food 
supply  industry. 

In  dry,  hot  countries  the  hides  are  preserved  by  dry- 
ing. Sun-drying  often  has  bad  effects,  the  rapid  evap- 
oration of  the  moisture  of  the  skin  sometimes  resulting 
in  blisters  which  later  make  holes  in  the  leather. 
When  a  light  layer  of  salt  is  added  before  drying,  these 
hides  are  known  as  dry  salted.  Foreign  sheep  and 
goatskins  are  usually  dried. 


Chapter  IV 

PREPARATION  FOR  TANNAGE 

Condition  of  Raw  Material 

The  condition  of  the  raw  hides  received  by  the 
tanner  determines  to  some  extent  the  method  of  treat- 
ment that  he  follows  in  their  preparation  for  leather. 

A  green  or  fresh  hide  is  ready  at  once  for  the  first 
or  cleansing  process.  Dry  hides  must  first  be  softened. 
This  is  done  by  soaking  them  in  cold  water,  breaking 
with  a  blunt  tool  on  a  beam,  beating  by  a  machine  in 
which  a  hammer  gives  repeated  blows,  and  rubbing  to 
make  them  supple.  In  case  the  skin  is  very  dry  and 
thick  this  process  may  take  from  lo  to  14  days. 

Cleansing 

First  the  skins,  which  are  quite  foul  because  of  the 
adhering  flesh,  blood,  and  dirt,  are  washed  and  freed 
from  these  external  impurities,  and,  in  the  case  of 
salted  skins,  from  the  salt  which  has  been  used  in 
preserving  them.  The  soaking  bath  may  be  either  in 
kicking  machines  or  in  running  water.  The  process 
lasts  from  i  to  12  hours  according  to  their  condition. 

17 


ki 


i8 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


If  necessary,  the  pelts  are  taken  out  and  scraped  with 
a  blunt  knife  or  tool,  trampled  again  in  the  water  and 
once  more  washed. 

The  old-fashioned  method  of  softening  hides  was  to 
place  them  in  water  for  a  week  or  ten  days.  During 
this  time  bacteria  injured  the  hide  substance.  Today 
the  desired  results  are  secured  by  putting  them  in  a  very 
weak  acid  or  alkaline  bath  which  makes  the  hide  fibers 
swell  and  absorb  water,  and  thus  both  hastens  the 
process  and  results  in  a  stronger  sldn. 

Liming 

The  next  process  is  in  order  to  soften  the  roots  of 
the  hair  which  still  remains  on  the  skin,  so  that  it  may 
be  easily  removed.  This  may  be  done  in  several  ways, 
but  in  England  and  the  United  States  the  lime  process 
has  found  special  favor  because  of  its  cheapness  and 
safety. 

Structure  of  Skin 

In  order  to  understand  this  and  subsequent  processes 
it  is  necessary  to  understand  the  structure  of  the  skin. 

A  fresh  skin  consists  of  two  layers,  an  outer,  the 
epidermis  (cuticle  or  scarf  skin),  and  the  inner,  or  true 
skin,  the  cutis  or  pelt  of  the  animal. 

The  epidermis  is  very  thin.  It  is  composed  of  a 
series  of  scales  which  in  life  are  constantly  wearing 


PREPARATION  FOR  TANKAGE 


19 


away  and  being  renewed  by  new  cells  from  below. 
From  this  layer  the  hair  grows  and  the  fats  and  sweat 
glands  are  developed.  The  roots  of  the  hair  are  in  the 
skin  underneath.  The  hair  in  the  case  of  sheep  takes 
the  form  of  wool,  in  pigs  of  bristles,  in  fur-bearing 
animals  of  fur. 

The  corium,  cutis,  or  true  skin,  is  much  thicker  and 
is  composed  of  interlacing  bundles  of  connective  tissue 
or  fibers  of  extreme  fineness  bound  together  by  a  sub- 
stance of  different  composition.  It  is  this  inner  skin 
which  is  made  into  leather. 

Underneath  this  corium  lies  the  fat  and  flesh  of  the 
animal. 

Action  of  Lime  on  the  Skin 

When  the  fresh  skin  is  thrown  into  the  bath  of 
caustic  lime,  the  cuticle  with  its  hair  readily  separates 
from  the  cutis,  while  the  flesh  under  the  cutis  is  also 
made  soft  and  loose  and  easily  removed  by  a  knife. 

In  addition  to  loosening  the  hair,  the  liming  process 
swells  and  splits  up  the  fibers  of  the  cutis,  removing 
more  or  less  of  the  cementing  substance  between  the 
fibers  and  makes  the  skin  softer,  fuller,  more  porous, 
and  pliable.  These  qualities  are  desirable  for  fancy 
bags,  uppers  of  shoes,  furniture  and  automobile  uphol- 
stery leathers,  etc.,  but  not  for  sole-leather,  which 
must  be  tough  and  stiff.     For  sole-leather,  therefore, 


20  LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 

the  liming  is  arranged  so  as  to  produce  the  swelling 
with  as  little  dissolving  action  as  possible.  Excellent 
sole-leather  is  produced  by  lime  and  water  about  the 
temperature  of  blood  heat,  and  in  a  couple  of  days  the 
pelts  are  dehaired  with  little  loss  of  the  hide  substance 
itself. 

Sweating 

A  "sweating"  process  is  sometimes  employed 
instead  of  liming,  as  in  the  case  of  the  American 
sweated  sole-leather.  In  this  process  the  green  hide 
is  hung  in  a  closed  room  in  a  temperature  of  about 
70°  F.  Decomposition  sets  in,  attacking  the  hair  roots 
and  loosening  them.  Too  much  sweating  weakens  the 
skin  and  the  hide  must  be  carefully  watched  and 
removed  before  it  is  ruined.  When  taken  out  of  the 
sweat  room  it  is  put  into  a  lime  bath  to  stop  the 
putrefaction. 

Sometimes  a  weak  arsenic  preparation  or  sulphide 
of  sodium  is  used  to  loosen  the  hair. 

Dehairing 

When  the  hair  has  been  loosened  by  one  of  these 
several  methods,  the  skins  are  taken  to  the  dehairing 
room  for  the  mechanical  operation  which  actually 
removes  the  hair  and  leaves  the  skin  ready  for  tanning. 

The  old  method  of  dehairing  was  to  throw  the  skin 


PREPARATION  FOR  TANNAGE 


21 


over  a  beam  or  a  sort  of  convex  sloping  table  of  wood 
or  cast  iron  and  scrape  the  hair  off.  The  workman  did 
this  with  his  hands  or  with  a  blunt  two-handled  knife. 
He  was  obliged  to  wear  gloves  as  the  dehairing  solu- 
tions, strong  enough  to  loosen  the  hair  from  the  pelt, 
were  too  strong  for  the  hands.  He  had  to  be  careful 
not  to  scratch  or  injure  the  pelt  which  is  always  soft, 
and  in  the  case  of  thin  skins,  tender.  He  had  to  be 
sure  to  remove  all  the  hair  and  in  the  case  of  sole- 
leather  not  only  the  hair  but  as  much  of  the  fat  glands 
and  hair  roots  as  possible.  This  mechanical  process  of 
removing  hair  is  now  largely  performed  by  unhairing 
machines  which  perform  practically  the  same  process 
in  much  less  time  and  with  greater  facility.  A  disad- 
vantage of  the  machine,  however,  is  that  if  the  skin  is 
weak  or  defective  the  harsh  action  of  the  spiral  knives 
may  injure  it  and  make  it  practically  worthless. 

The  hair  or  wool  removed  is  gathered  up,  washed, 
dried,  packed,  and  sent  to  carpet  factories.  The  hair 
may  also  be  used  in  making  felt. 

Fleshing 

When  the  hair  has  been  removed  the  skin  is  next  put 
into  cold  water  which  not  only  partially  removes  the 
lime  and  continues  to  loosen  the  flesh  left  on  the  hide, 
but  also  aids  the  swelling  process  begun  by  the  dehair- 
ing solution. 


V    ■ 


22 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


The  skin  is  soon  taken  from  this  bath  for  the  flesh- 
ing operation.  It  is  thrown  over  the  beam,  and  the 
workman  scrapes  off  all  the  loose  tissues  on  the  inner 
or  flesh  side  of  the  skin  with  a  fleshing  knife.  This 
operation  may  also  be  performed  by  machines.  When 
the  machine  operation  is  used,  the  skin  is  spread  flesh 
outwards  on  a  special  rubber  roller  and  a  cylinder 
fitted  with  spiral  knives  runs  over  it,  removing  the 
flesh.  Careful  attention  must  be  paid  to  the  setting  of 
the  knives  and  the  rubber  roll  or  the  work  will  be 
defective. 

Rounding 

For  a  long  time  it  was  the  custom,  after  dehairing, 
to  tan  hides  whole.  In  modern  tanneries,  however, 
the  different  sections  of  the  hide,  known  as  the 
"  butts  *'  or  backs,  *'  shoulders,"  and  "  bellies  "  are 
done  separately,  because  these  sections  are  of  different 
texture  and  require  different  treatment.  The  pelts  are 
**  rounded  '*  as  follows : 

Two  men  take  the  dehaired  hide  and  double  it  from 
end  to  end,  grain  side  out.  The  head,  including  the 
cheeks  and  shoulder,  is  cut  off  and  also  the  sides  or 
bellies.  What  remains  of  the  skin,  the  butt  or  back, 
is  the  chief  part  of  the  hide.  The  other  parts  are  used 
for  lighter  leathers  and  the  small  pieces  for  glue.  This 
is  a  process  requiring  care  and  judgment  as  the  proper 


PREPARATION  FOR  TANNAGE 


23 


place  to  divide  the  various  parts  varies  with  different 
skins. 

Raising  and  Swelling 

The  swelling  begun  in  earlier  processes  is  now  con- 
tinued. Its  object  is  to  prepare  the  tissues  for  a  more 
complete  absorption  of  the  tanning  materials.  The 
lime  which  has  been  useful  so  far  must  now  be  en- 
tirely removed,  as  its  presence  would  interfere  with 
the  tannage.  Simple  continued  washing  in  soft  water 
removes  a  part  of  the  lime,  but  a  more  effective  means 
is  soaking  the  skins  in  a  weak  acid  bath,  which  hastens 
the  process. 

Care  must  be  taken,  however,  that  the  skins  do  not 
become  too  much  swollen.  If  strong  liquors  are  used 
at  first,  a  hard  layer  is  formed  on  both  sides,  retarding 
the  penetration  of  the  tan  liquor,  but  moderate  plump- 
ing or  swelling  aids  in  the  final  action  of  the  concen- 
trated tanning  acids. 

The  length  of  time  the  skins  lie  immersed  in  this 
bath  depends  upon  the  size  of  the  skin  and  the  strength 
of  the  acid  solution.  The  acid  combines  with  the  lime 
forming  a  soluble  compound  which  is  readily  removed 
from  the  skin  in  this  form.  If  the  acid  is  not  too 
strong  the  skin  is  in  no  way  injured. 


II 


i  '1 


I)   ^ 


Chapter  V 

TANNAGE 

Purpose 

The  pelts  up  to  this  stage  are  still  only  raw  animal 
matter  full  of  moisture,  which  makes  them  liable  to 
putrefaction  or  decay.  If  dried  in  this  condition  they 
are  stiff  and  unyielding  like  horn.  The  tanner's  prob- 
lem is  to  make  this  translucent  mass  soft,  porous,  and 
opaque,  and  yet  resistant  to  wear  and  decay.  In  other 
words,  leather  is  tanned  to: 

1.  Avoid  putrefaction. 

2.  Render  the  skin  pliable  and  soft. 

3.  Make  it  impervious  to  water. 

4.  Make  it  stronger  for  wear. 

Means 

This  is  accomplished  by  subjecting  the  pelt  to  the 
action  of  a  vegetable  or  chemical  substance  which  acts 
upon  the  skin  fiber  and  changes  it  to  leather. 

As  explained  in  the  preceding  chapter,  the  true  skin 
or  corium,  is  composed  of  interlacing  bundles  of  tissue 
bound  together  by  fibers.  These  tissues  are  dissolved 
in  hot  water,  forming  gelatin;  and  they  are  hardened 

24 


TANNAGE 


25 


and  made  insoluble,  that  is,  made  into  leather,  by  a 
vegetable  substance  called  tannin  or  by  certain  mineral 
substances. 

Methods 

The  various  methods  of  tannage  then  fall  into  four 
different  classes  according  to  the  tanning  materials 
used: 

1.  Vegetable,  in  which  astringent  acids  such  as  tan- 
nin are  used.     This  is  the  old  method. 

2.  Chemical,    in    which    astringent   mineral    sub- 
stances are  used.     This  is  again  subdivided  into : 

Tawing,  in  which  alum  salts  are  used. 
Chrome  tannage,  in  which  chromium  salts 

are  used. 
Formaldehyde  tannage. 

3.  Chamoying,  or  a  treatment  with  fats. 

4.  Electrical. 

The  remainder  of  this  chapter  will  be  devoted  to  a 
description  of  vegetable  tannage.  This  old  method 
has  never  been  improved  upon  for  producing  high- 
grade  leather.  It  is  a  tedious  process,  often  consuming 
weeks  or  even  months,  but  it  produces  slowly  tanned 
hides  which  are  the  most  lasting. 


Tannin 

In  vegetable  tannage  the  chief  agent  is  tannin 


* 


or 


26 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


ti 


tannic  acid,  an  acid  found  in  a  great  number  of  trees 
and  plants.  The  barks  of  oak,  larch,  birch,  willow, 
hemlock,  and  chestnut  trees,  the  roots  of  ferns  and 
other  plants,  the  leaves  of  sumac,  pomegranate,  tea, 
and  other  plants,  excrescences  of  certain  plants,  like 
gall  nuts,  certain  extracts,  as  of  the  catechu,  flowers, 
fruits,  and  seed  pods,  are  some  of  the  sources  from 
which  tanners  have  extracted  tannin. 

A  great  deal  of  interesting  history  surrounds  the 
explorations  and  journeys  to  all  parts  of  the  world  for 
the  discovery  of  vegetable  life  which  would  yield  this 
desirable  substance. 

The  amount  of  tannin  varies  with  the  plants  and 
with  the  parts  of  the  plants  from  which  it  is  taken. 

The  principal  sources  today  are : 

Oak  and  hemlock  bark,  containing  12  to  15  per 

cent  of  tannin. 
Sumac,  containing  18  to  25  per  cent  of  tannin. 

Oak  and  Hemlock  Bark 

Until  recently,  Europe  and  the  United  States  de- 
pended chiefly  upon  the  bark  of  the  oak  and  hemlock 
for  tannin.  Oak  bark  was  the  oldest  and  most  im- 
portant source.  In  the  United  States  there  are  two 
bark  tanning  belts,  one  extending  the  whole  length 
of  the  Appalachian  Mountains  from  New  York  to 
Georgia,  the  other  the  hemlock  region  extending  from 


TANNAGE 


27 


Wisconsin  to  Massachusetts.  Both  of  these  regions 
have  developed  into  important  leather  sections. 

The  amount  of  tannin  contained  in  the  barks  de- 
pends upon  the  time  of  the  year  in  which  it  is  removed 
from  the  tree,  the  age  of  the  tree,  and  the  part  of  the 
tree  from  which  it  comes. 

Spring  is  the  best  time  for  stripping  the  bark,  as  the 
sap  is  then  in  vigorous  circulation  and  contains  much 
more  tannin  than  in  the  winter. 

The  early  tanners  thought  that  the  bark  of  the  old 
oaks  produced  the  best  tannin,  but  chemistry  and  a 
later  experience  have  shown  that  the  younger  trees 
produce  more  tannin  and  also  prepare  a  softer  and 
whiter  leather.  From  18  to  25  years  is  now  considered 
the  best  age  for  removing  the  bark. 

The  bark  is  removed  from  the  felled  trees  by  cut- 
ting two  bands  around  the  trunk  about  2  or  3  feet 
apart,  joining  them  by  a  lengthwise  strip,  and  peeling 
off  the  bark  by  means  of  peeling  irons.  These  strips 
are  spread  out  and  dried  in  the  shade.  For  the  best 
results  they  should  be  piled  loosely  together,  elevated 
slightly  from  the  ground,  and  protected  from  the  rain. 

A  good  oak  bark  is  known  by  its  faint  odor,  and 
light  brown  color  when  the  outer  bark  is  removed.  A 
dark  color  suggests  age  and  the  commencement  of  de- 
cay or  undue  exposure. 

The  method  of  determining  the  percentage  of  tannin 


28 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


in  vegetable  substances  is  based  upon  its  affinity  for 
gelatin,  or  what  is  the  same  thing,  hide  substance. 

Sumac 

.  Sumac  is  the  highly  esteemed  tanning  material  for 
the  genuine  Morocco  used  for  bookbindings  and  other 
fancy  leathers.  Sumac  is  used  especially  for  light 
leathers  as  it  contains  little  coloring  matter. 

It  is  cultivated  for  tanning  purposes  in  Sicily,  Spain, 
Portugal,  Italy,  and  parts  of  the  United  States.  It  is  a 
shrub  growing  from  4  to  8  feet  high,  having  a  reddish- 
gray  bark.  To  prepare  it  for  market  the  twigs  are 
gathered  while  in  full  foliage,  dried  in  the  sun,  and  then 
threshed,  ground,  and  the  powder  packed  for  the  mar- 
ket 

Primitive  Methods  of  Tanning 

The  first  tanneries  were  but  rude  sheds  located  near 
forests  where  tanning  materials  were  plentiful.  As 
the  industry  developed  the  tanneries  naturally  became 
more  specialized  and  more  suitably  arranged  in  every 
way. 

The  location  of  a  tannery  provided  for  an  elevated 
place  for  the  piles  of  bark,  a  lower  level  for  the  mills 
which  ground  the  bark,  a  still  lower  level  for  the 
"  leaches  "  in  which  the  bark  was  changed  into  tanning 
liquor,  and  on  the  lowest  level  the  tannery  proper. 


TANNAGE 


29 


This  arrangement  did  away  with  elevators  and  pumps. 
A  good  water  supply,  forests,  and  stock  districts  or 
ready  transportation  facilities  were  also  considered. 

The  primitive  method  of  grinding  the  bark  was  by 
means  of  a  rude  millstone  weighing  perhaps  1,000 
pounds.  The  bark  was  laid  on  a  round  bed  of  boards. 
The  stone  was  attached  to  a  shaft,  one  end  of  which 
was  fastened  to  a  central  post,  and  the  other  drawn 
around  the  circumference  by  a  horse  which  moved  in  a 
circle  hauling  the  heavy  stone  over  the  bark.  By  this 
method  a  ton  of  bark  could  be  pulverized  in  a  day. 

The  tanner  then  threw  alternate  layers  of  crushed 
bark  and  dehaired  hides  into  a  vat  made  of  rough 
boards  sunken  in  the  ground.  When  the  vat  was  filled 
with  skins  and  bark,  water  was  allowed  to  run  in,  and 
the  hides  left  to  soak  for  2  or  3  weeks.  By  this  time 
the  tannin  was  extracted  and  the  hides  were  removed 
and  fresh  layers  of  bark  supplied.  This  process  was 
usually  repeated  3  or  4  times.  The  vat  was  then  closed 
and  the  contents  were  allowed  to  lie  for  several  months. 
At  this  rate  the  tanning  was  usually  started  in  the  fall 
and  completed  in  the  spring,  taking  perhaps  12  to  15 
months  for  the  complete  process. 

Modern  Methods 

This  primitive  system  was  followed  until  about  1825 
when  the  more  modern  method  was  introduced,  which 


30 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


with  improvements  is  practically  the  one  followed  to- 
day.    Both  hand  and  machine  processes  are  used. 

American  initiative  and  enterprise  have  done  much 
to  advance  the  leather  trade,  particularly  in  the  inven- 
tion of  machinery  which  can  turn  out  goods  in  aston- 
ishingly large  quantities.  Some  of  the  Philadelphia 
houses  turn  out  2,000  or  3,000  dozen  glazed  goatskins 
a  day.  In  fact,  American  machinery,  by  which  it  is 
now  possible  to  perform  almost  every  operation,  is 
being  sold  and  copied  almost  all  over  the  world.  Of 
late  years  a  good  deal  of  tanners*  machinery  has  been 
made  in  England  and  on  the  Continent. 

Tannage  of  Sole-Leather 

The  simplest  and  most  t3rpical  methods  of  tanning 
are  those  used  in  the  manufacture  of  sole-leather;  the 
methods  of  tanning  other  leathers  are  mainly  varia- 
tions of  these.  The  principle  is  to  start  the  green 
hides  in  a  liquor  weak  in  tannin  and  finish  them  in 
strong  liquor.  A  system  at  present  employed  in  the 
manufacture  of  sole-leather  is  as  follows: 

The  hides  properly  cleaned  and  prepared  for  tanning 
are  suspended  on  sticks  in  weak  tanning  liquor  which 
comes  from  other  leather  which  is  almost  completely 
tanned.  The  conversion  into  leather  begins.  The 
hides  remain  from  10  to  20  days  thus  suspended, 
and    the   strength    of   the   liquor   is   gradually    in- 


TANNAGE 


31 


creased.  At  the  end  of  this  time  they  are  placed  in 
the  "  lay-aways  "  or  "  layers  "  where  they  are  laid  out 
flat  one  by  one  and  a  thin  layer  of  ground  bark  spread 
over  each  one.  When  the  vat  is  full  of  hides  they  are 
covered  with  tanning  liquor.  The  hides  receive  about 
six  such  lay-aways,  each  time  receiving  fresh  and 
stronger  liquor  and  at  the  end  of  6  months  they  are 
fully  tanned  and  sufficiently  solid  for  the  purpose  re- 
quired. 

Light  and  softer  leathers,  such  as  bag,  case,  trunk 
strap,  upholstery,  and  harness  leathers,  are  tanned  in 
much  the  same  way  except  that  the  tanning  liquors 
used  are  not  so  strong  and  the  time  of  tanning  is  also 
reduced  to  a  few  weeks. 

Tanning  by  Machine 

When  leather  is  tanned  by  machine  the  skins  are  laid 
separately  on  shelves  and  the  machine  turns  about 
providing  for  the  constant  flow  of  liquor  over  them. 
This  arrangement  not  only  prevents  one  part  from  tak- 
ing a  deeper  stain  than  another  but  insures  a  uniform 
and  complete  tannage.  In  this  way  many  skins  may 
be  quickly  tanned  at  one  time. 

Striking 

Striking  always  follows  the  tanning  process.  This 
is  done  while  the  leather  is  yet  moist  to  remove  the 


32 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


yellowish  coating  known  as  the  "  bloom  '*  which  ap- 
pears on  the  surface  of  well-tanned  leather.  It  also 
deepens  the  natural  color  of  the  leather,  improves  its 
texture,  and  lays  the  grain. 

If  the  striking  is  done  by  hand,  the  moist  leather 
is  laid  flat  on  a  table  and  the  workman  passes  a  strik- 
ing pin,  a  two-handled  tool  of  triangular  form  with 
three  blunt  edges,  over  the  grain  side. 

Machine  striking,  because  of  the  rapidity  and  uni- 
formity of  its  action  has  almost  superseded  the  hand- 
work, however.  The  striking  machine  consists  of  a 
series  of  blunt  knives  arranged  on  a  disc  controlled  by 
an  adjustable  foot  lever  which  also  regulates  the  amount 
of  pressure  applied.  The  machine  method  produces  a 
solid,  firm  leather. 

Oiling 

The  skins  are  next  oiled  on  the  grain  side.  This 
consists  in  rubbing  them  with  mineral  oil  or  cod-liver 
oil  to  prevent  too  rapid  drying  or  darkening  of  the 
surface. 

Drying 

Natural,  slow  drying  produces  a  better  leather  than 
artificial  drying.  The  old  drying  loft  or  shed  is  a 
large  well-ventilated  place  with  openings  so  arranged 
as  to  prevent  the  direct  rays  of  the  sim  from  falling 


TANNAGE 


33 


on  the  skins,  as  light  darkens  them.  Too  much  air 
also  will  produce  a  harsh  grain.  Steam  or  hot-air 
pipes  facilitate  the  process  in  cold  or  damp  weather. 

The  best  machinery  for  drying  is  the  fan-ventilator 
type  which  forces  the  air  by  fans  over  coils  of  steam 

pipes. 
After  drying  the  leather  is  ready  for  the  currier,  or 

dresser. 


i  ■> 


Chapter  VI 

TANNAGE  BY  CHEMICALS 

Methods 

As  stated  before  there  are  three  methods  of  tanning 
by  chemical  means.     These  are : 

Tawing 

Chrome  tanning 
Formaldehyde  tanning 

Tawing 

In  this  method  of  tanning  equal  parts  of  salt  and 
alum  are  made  to  combine  with  the  gelatin  of  the  skin 
fiber.  Alum  alone  makes  a  stiff  and  unyielding  leather. 
Tawing  was  until  recently  pre-eminently  a  French  in- 
dustry. It  was  probably  suggested  to  the  Moors  by 
the  use  of  alum  or  other  metallic  salts  as  a  preserva- 
tive. It  is  of  later  origin  than  vegetable  tannage,  and 
as  practiced  today  is  a  combination  of  pickling  and 
true  mineral  tannage. 

Calfskin,  kid,  goat,  lamb,  sheep,  and  other  light  skins 
may  be  successfully  treated  by  this  method  producing 
a  leather  light  in  color  and  weight  and  soft  and  pliable 

34 


TANNAGE  BY  CHEMICALS 


35 


in  texture.  Kid  leather  for  the  finest  gloves  and  the 
uppers  of  ladies  shoes  are  examples  of  tawed  leather. 
Lambskin  is  also  made  by  this  process  into  an  imita- 
tion of  kid  for  cheaper  gloves.  Tawing  is  also  used 
when  the  hair  is  not  to  be  removed  from  the  skin,  as 
in  the  case  of  furs  or  rugs. 

Process  of  Tawing 

After  the  usual  soaking,  liming,  and  dehairing  of 
the  skins,  they  are  soaked  in  the  alum  and  salt  solution. 
It  is  essential  that  the  alum  be  free  from  iron,  an  im- 
purity often  found  with  it,  which  colors  the  skin.  In 
case  the  hair  is  not  to  be  removed  the  skins  may  be 
sponged  on  the  flesh  side  with  an  alum  solution  or 
packed  in  dry  salt  and  powdered  alum.  This  latter 
method  is  known  as  dry  tannage.  In  either  case  the 
skins  are  hard,  stiff,  and  empty,  and  require  filling 
which  is  done  by  "  egging  "  or  "  pasting." 

Egging  or  Pasting 

In  this  treatment  the  skins  absorb  a  filling  or  paste 
which  makes  them  white,  soft,  and  not  so  apt  to  harden 
as  they  dry.  The  filling  used  may  be  a  paste  of  flour 
and  egg  yolk  (one  yolk  to  a  skin)  mixed  with  almond, 
olive,  or  fish  oil,  or  it  may  be  an  emulsion  of  almond 
oil,  fish,  or  olive  oil  with  paraffin. 

Egg  yolk  gives  softness,  fulness,  stretch,  and  glossy 


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Chapter  VI 

TANNAGE  BY  CHEMICALS 

Methods 

As  stated  before  there  are  three  methods  of  tanning 
by  chemical  means.     These  are : 

Tawing 

Chrome  tanning 
Formaldehyde  tanning 

Tawing 

In  this  method  of  tanning  equal  parts  of  salt  and 
alum  are  made  to  combine  with  the  gelatin  of  the  skin 
fiber.  Alum  alone  makes  a  stiff  and  unyielding  leather. 
Tawing  was  until  recently  pre-eminently  a  French  in- 
dustry. It  was  probably  suggested  to  the  Moors  by 
the  use  of  alum  or  other  metallic  salts  as  a  preserva- 
tive. It  is  of  later  origin  than  vegetable  tannage,  and 
as  practiced  today  is  a  combination  of  pickling  and 
true  mineral  tannage. 

Calfskin,  kid,  goat,  lamb,  sheep,  and  other  light  skins 
may  be  successfully  treated  by  this  method  producing 
a  leather  light  in  color  and  weight  and  soft  and  pliable 

34 


J.? 


TANNAGE  BY  CHEMICALS 


35 


in  texture.  Kid  leather  for  the  finest  gloves  and  the 
uppers  of  ladies  shoes  are  examples  of  tawed  leather. 
Lambskin  is  also  made  by  this  process  into  an  imita- 
tion of  kid  for  cheaper  gloves.  Tawing  is  also  used 
when  the  hair  is  not  to  be  removed  from  the  skin,  as 
in  the  case  of  furs  or  rugs. 

Process  of  Tawing 

After  the  usual  soaking,  liming,  and  dehairing  of 
the  skins,  they  are  soaked  in  the  alum  and  salt  solution. 
It  is  essential  that  the  alum  be  free  from  iron,  an  im- 
purity often  found  with  it,  which  colors  the  skin.  In 
case  the  hair  is  not  to  be  removed  the  skins  may  be 
sponged  on  the  flesh  side  with  an  alum  solution  or 
packed  in  dry  salt  and  powdered  alum.  This  latter 
method  is  known  as  dry  tannage.  In  either  case  the 
skins  are  hard,  stiff,  and  empty,  and  require  filling 
which  is  done  by  "  egging  "  or  "  pasting." 

Egging  or  Pasting 

In  this  treatment  the  skins  absorb  a  filling  or  paste 
which  makes  them  white,  soft,  and  not  so  apt  to  harden 
as  they  dry.  The  filling  used  may  be  a  paste  of  flour 
and  egg  yolk  (one  yolk  to  a  skin)  mixed  with  almond, 
olive,  or  fish  oil,  or  it  may  be  an  emulsion  of  almond 
oil,  fish,  or  olive  oil  with  paraffin. 

Egg  yolk  gives  softness,  fukiess,  stretch,  and  glossy 


11   r 


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36 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


finish.  Olive  oil  is  a  partial  substitute  for  egg  yolk, 
but  too  much  oil  gives  a  damp,  smeary  feeling  to 
leather.  Flour  is  a  filling  and  whitening  agent  and 
aids  in  the  emulsifying  of  olive  oil. 

The  thin  paste  is  worked  into  the  skins  in  a  revolving 
machine  or  "  tumbler  "  which  throws  them  about  for  an 
hour  or  more  until  they  have  thoroughly  absorbed  the 
composition.  An  additional  dressing  of  tallow  soap 
makes  the  skins  less  likely  to  be  affected  by  water. 

Finishing  Processes  in  Tawing 

The  staking  and  breaking  or  softening  processes  fol- 
low. The  staking  process  takes  off  pieces  of  flesh  left 
on  the  skins  and  evens  them  up.  This  is  done  by  rub- 
bing the  skins  across  the  edge  of  a  dull,  semicircular 
knife  set  on  the  top  of  a  wooden  form.  The  process  is 
continued  in  the  breaking  machine.  The  skins  are 
stretched  and  worked  and  the  fibers  pulled  in  every  di- 
rection until  soft  and  of  uniform  texture.  During  this 
process  the  skins  are  sometimes  moistened  and  rolled 
in  wet  bran  or  sawdust  which  leaves  them  soft  and 
white.  They  are  then  taken  to  the  drying  room. 
They  age  or  mature  if  dried  naturally  for  several  weeks 
or  months  and  a  superior  quality  of  leather  results,  as 
it  allows  the  alum  to  become  firmly  fixed  in  the  fiber 
and  the  tannage  is  more  thorough. 

Before  dyeing,  the  skins  are  again  washed  in  tepid 


TANNAGE  BY  CHEMICALS 


37 


water  to  remove  the  flour  and  surplus  alum  and  salt, 
which  if  left  in  would  tend  to  make  them  hard  and 
also  affect  the  coloring  matter.  Sometimes  skins  are 
"  re-egged ''  or  again  treated  to  an  tgg  dressing,  when 
the  nourishing  material  has  been  partially  washed  out. 
French  glazed  kids  are  sometimes  brushed  with  an 
infusion  of  vegetable  tannin  after  tawing.  This  treat- 
ment combines  the  desirable  qualities  of  both  the  min- 
eral and  vegetable  tannage.  The  first  gives  a  softness 
and  toughness  as  the  fibers  are  well  separated  and  so 
stretch,  but  lack  firmness  and  solidity ;  the  second  gives 
the  desirable  plumpness,  fulness,  and  resistance  to 
water.  Skins  subjected  to  combined  tannage  are  likely 
to  have  more  of  the  characteristics  of  the  first  tannage 
applied. 

Disadvantages  of  Tawing 

Inasmuch  as  in  tawing  no  real  chemical  reaction 
takes  place  the  gelatin  is  not  wholly  impervious  to 
water.  In  washing,  the  three  elements,  gelatin,  alum, 
and  salt  can  be  separated  by  the  water,  so  that  alum- 
tanned  skins  though  soft  and  white  are  little  resistant 
to  water  unless  given  special  oil  treatment  similar  to 
chamoying.  This  tends  to  make  them  water-resistant 
though  not  water-proof. 

Chrome  Tanning 
Chrome  tannage  is  the  method  of  changing  the  fibers 


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58 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


of  the  skin  into  leather  by  means  of  a  compound  of 
chromium.  It  is  a  short,  inexpensive,  and  easily  con- 
trolled process. 

Characteristics  of  Chrome-Tanned  Leather 

Chrome  tannage  produces  an  extremely  soft,  light, 
non-absorbent,  durable  leather  of  close  texture.  Tile 
combination  of  the  chemical  with  the  fiber  seems  more 
stable  than  that  of  the  tannin,  so  that  it  is  less  easily 
affected  by  physical  agents.  It  also  has  much  tensile 
strength  as  compared  with  vegetable-tanned  leather, 
and  so  is  especially  valuable  for  straps,  beltings,  etc. 
It  is  not  affected  by  boiling  water,  while  vegetable- 
tanned  leather  becomes  hard  and  shrinks  in  hot  water. 
It  is  especially  successful  for  light,  and  washable  leath- 
ers. Two-thirds  of  the  glazed  kid  made  in  the  United 
States  is  chrome-tanned. 

Process  of  Chrome  Tanning 

In  general  two  methods  are  followed:  the  one-bath 
for  heavier  leathers  and  the  two-bath  for  lighter  skins, 
such  as  goat  and  sheep. 

.  The  cleansing,  liming,  dehairing,  fleshing,  rounding, 
and  raising  are  done  in  the  usual  way.  The  skins  are 
then  put  into  the  chrome-bath,  which  is  prepared  by 
dissolving  bichromate  of  potash  in  boiling  water,  acid- 
ified by  hydrochloric  acid  and  reduced  with  sodium 


TANNAGE  BY  CHEMICALS 


39 


hyposulphite.  Owing  to  the  green  color  of  the  chromic 
compound  which  is  formed,  the  skins  come  out  a  blue- 
ish-green  color.  The  process  must  be  carefully 
watched  lest  the  too  rapid  action  of  the  acid  weaken 
the  leather,  thereby  giving  it  a  dry  and  lifeless  tex- 
ture. 

If  an  extremely  soft  leather  is  desired  the  skins  may 
be  "  pickled  "  before  chroming.  This  process  is  much 
used  in  the  case  of  split  sheepskins  to  preserve  them 
until  tannage.  The  skin  is  swollen  in  an  acid  or  alum 
and  reduced  by  salt,  which  preserves  it  for  many 
months.  Large  quantities  of  hides  from  New  Zealand, 
known  as  pickled  splits,  are  imported  in  this  state. 
The  danger  is  that  if  the  tanning  is  done  too  soon 
after  removing  the  salt,  the  leather  tears  easily.  A 
pickled  skin  is  always  more  soft  and  porous  after  tan- 
nage than  an  unpickled. 

History  of  Chrome  Tanning 

The  chrome  process  though  discovered  as  early  as 
1856  by  a  German  named  Knapp,  was  not  developed 
until  1884  when  August  Schultz,  a  Philadelphia  dyer's 
chemist,  conceived  the  idea  of  applying  the  process  of 
mordanting  wool  by  a  bichromate  process  to  the  man- 
ufacture of  leather.  Philadelphia  is  today  renowned 
for  its  chrome-tanned  glazed  kid,  known  as  vici,  and 
for  its  enamel  and  patent  leathers. 


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40 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


Formaldehyde  Tanning 

Formaldehyde  tannage  is  one  of  the  modem  methods 
used  today.  It  is  completed  in  from  3  to  6  hours  for 
light  goods  and  from  12  to  48  for  heavy.  It  produces 
a  hard  firm  leather  suitable  for  soles,  for  which  it  is 
largely  used. 

Washable  leathers  are  successfully  prepared  by  this 
method  of  tannage  since  the  action  of  slightly  alkaline 
solutions  of  formaldehyde  on  raw  hide  produces  a  buff 
or  white  leather  similar  to  an  oil  leather.  Bleached  on 
the  surface,  it  imitates  the  genuine  tawed  skin.  Un- 
less the  formaldehyde  is  entirely  removed  the  goods 
soon  become  brittle  and  tender. 


Chapter  VII 

CHAMOYING 

Definition 

Chamoying  is  the  use  of  fats  in  converting  skins  into 
leather.  It  took  its  name  from  the  primitive  method 
of  tanning  the  chamois  or  deer  skin.  It  is  an  old 
method  of  preserving  leather  which  is  still  used  by 
savages  who  rub  oil  or  greasy  substances  into  skins  to 
preserve  them.  It  is  similar  to  the  treatment  given  to 
the  flesh  side  of  furs. 

Use 

Chamoying  produces  a  soft,  pliable  leather,  par- 
ticularly adapted  for  leathers  to  be  finished  in  natural 
or  light  colors,  and  wash  leathers.  The  result  is  very 
similar  to  that  of  tawing  though  the  processes  are  en- 
tirely different  in  chemical  reaction. 

Preparation  of  the  Skins 

After  the  skins  have  been  cleansed,  limed  for  sev- 
eral days,  and  dehaired  by  the  ordinary  processes,  they 
are  often  given  a  special  liming  to  plump  them.    This 


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42 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


makes  it  possible  to  split  them  more  satisfactorily. 
Some  skins  are  bran  drenched,  soaked  in  bran  liquor,  to 
remove  the  lime.  After  this  they  are  converted  into 
leather  as  follows: 

Stocking  or  Milling 

Each  skin  is  sprinkled  on  each  side  with  oil,  usually 
a  pure  cod,  seal,  or  whale  oil.  It  is  then  thrown  into 
a  revolving  machine  which  moves  the  skins  about 
gently  for  three  or  four  hours.  In  this  machine  the 
skins  become  very  warm  as  the  oil  acting  on  the  skin 
fiber  produces  oxidation.  During  this  process  the 
skins  not  only  become  thoroughly  and  evenly  saturated 
with  the  oil,  but  are  reduced  to  a  uniform  texture. 
After  a  time,  they  have  a  soapy,  slimy  feeling.  While 
in  this  heated  condition  they  are  thrown  into  bins  and 
covered  with  sacking  or  packed  in  tight  boxes  (ioo° 
to  1 60°  F)  in  order  to  retain  the  heat.  In  this  stage 
they  must  be  carefully  attended  lest  the  temperature 
become  too  high  and  injure  the  skin.  They  are  either 
turned  often  or  taken  from  one  bin  to  another.  A 
sufficient  number  of  skins  must  be  kept  together,  how- 
ever, to  keep  up  the  process  of  heating  lest  certain 
parts  remain  green  or  not  chamoyed.  The  skins  in 
this  stage  become  a  yellow  or  dark  brown  color  and 
leathered  in  which  condition  they  are  known  as 
"crust"  chamois. 


CHAMOYING 


43 


Washing  and  Pressing 

After  complete  oxidation  the  skins  are  thrown  into 
vats  or  machines  filled  with  water  heated  at  first  to 
110°  F  and  gradually  raised  to  130°  or  140°  F.  Here 
the  excess  of  oil  is  washed  and  pressed  out  by  a  hy- 
draulic press.  The  degras  or  sod  oil  so  largely  used  in 
stuffing  leathers  is  the  superfluous  oil  recovered  from 
the  water  in  which  the  chamoyed  skins  are  cleansed  at 
this  time.  Several  stockings  and  washings  may  be 
given  to  increase  pliability.  Instead  of  oiling  in  the 
fulling  mill  the  French  oil  the  skins  by  sprinkling  and 
fold  them  in  bundles. 

The  staking  and  breaking  processes  follow.  The 
skins  are  evened  up  and  stretched  to  make  them  of 
uniform  texture. 

Fat-Liquoring 

The  skins  are  now  dampened  again  in  warm  water 
and  nourished  with  a  stuffing  compound  of  cod-oil  and 
soap  and  finally  wrung  by  a  machine.  The  French 
use  seal  and  whale  oil  instead  of  cod. 

After  this  process  the  skins  are  dried  and  carefully 
run  over  an  emery  wheel  which  produces  a  fine,  smooth 
surface.    This  is  called  "fluffing." 

Bleaching 
To  produce  fine  colors  as  for  suede,  and  fancy  leath- 


44 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


ers,  all  chamoyed  skins  must  first  be  bleached.  They 
are  dampened  in  a  solution  of  soapy  water  and  put  in 
the  sunshine.  In  the  summer  two  or  three  days  may 
be  sufficient  for  bleaching  but  in  winter  it  may  take 
several  weeks.  The  so-called  doe  skin  gloves  are  often 
bleached  chamois. 

After  bleaching,  the  skins  are  immersed  in  a  vat  of 
boiling  soapy  water  for  two  or  three  seconds,  stretched 
and  manipulated  by  hand  and  machinery,  to  soften 
them,  taken  to  a  drying  room  of  about  120°  F  and 
allowed  to  dry  naturally.  After  this  they  are  again 
staked  and  run  over  the  emery  wheel. 

Tanning  by  Electricity 

Tanning  by  electricity  is  still  in  the  experimental 
stage.  The  skins  are  dehaired  by  the  lime  process  and 
then  acted  upon  in  the  tan  vats  or  machine  by  currents 
of  electricity.  The  skins  are  suspended  in  water  in 
the  vats  or  tanks  where  they  soak  for  3  or  4  days. 
The  tanning  liquor  is  then  added  from  time  to  time 
until  the  fiber  is  changed  into  leather.  The  advantage 
of  this  method  of  tanning  is  that  the  electric  current 
equally  distributed  through  the  whole  tanning  solution 
forces  the  tanning  acids  into  the  leather,  thus  produc- 
ing in  a  short  time  a  thoroughly  tanned  leather. 


Chapter  VIII 

CURRYING  OR  DRESSING 

Definition 

The  tanned  skins  must  be  dressed  or  finished  before 
being  made  up  into  leather  goods.  This  process  is 
known  as  currying  and  has  always  been  a  highly 
specialized  branch  of  the  leather  industry. 

It  is  largely  a  mechanical  operation  of  cleansing,  re- 
ducing in  thickness,  and  softening  the  tanned  skin  or 
leather.  Whatever  chemical  change  takes  place  is  due 
to  the  reaction  of  the  oils  and  fats  worked  into  the 
skin  during  the  process.  Much  that  was  formerly  done 
by  delicate  and  tedious  hand  methods  is  today  done  by 
ingeniously  designed  machinery. 

Purpose 

The  purpose  of  currying  is  to  soften  the  leather, 
render  it  more  pliable  and  water-proof,  and  improve 
its  appearance.  This  is  accomplished  by  further  man- 
ipulation of  the  skin,  by  treating  it  with  suitable  dress- 
ings, and  by  either  bringing  out  the  natural  grain  of 

the  skin  or  giving  it  an  artificial  grain. 

45 


!  i^ 


1 1 


46 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


Well-curried  leather  is  smooth,  pliant,  supple,  and  of 
pleasing  color,  luster,  and  grain.  All  leathers  tanned 
by  the  ordinary  vegetable  or  chemical  tannage  must  be 
curried  to  give  them  their  texture  and  finish. 

Shaving 

The  skins,  known  as  rough  leather,  are  dipped  into 
water  to  soften  them  and  are  then  shaved  or  split, 
scoured,  beaten,  and  stretched  into  uniform  thickness 
and  even  surface.  Sometimes  the  shaving  is  still  done 
by  the  currier's  knife  and  other  hand  tools,  but  ma- 
chines have  now  been  invented  which  can  in  many 
cases  take  their  place. 

The  currier's  knife  consists  of  a  fine  steel  blade  set 
in  two  plates  of  iron.  One  of  the  two  handles  is  set 
horizontally,  the  other  vertically,  with  the  blade.  The 
blade  is  made  of  finely  tempered  steel,  the  edge  of 
which  must  be  very  sharp.  The  workman  pares  off 
thin  shavings  from  the  skin  with  this  knife.  The 
operation  is  known  as  hand-shaving  and  its  object  is 
to  thin,  smooth,  and  even  up  the  skin. 

Other  hand  tools  used  by  the  currier  are:  slickers, 
shaving  knives,  and  arm-boards. 

If  the  shaving  is  done  by  machine  the  dampened 
leather  is  passed  under  a  rapidly  revolving  cylinder  to 
which  a  series  of  steel  knives  is  attached.  These  are 
kept  automatically  sharpened  by  emery  wheels.    The 


CURRYING  OR  DRESSING 


47 


leather  pushed  up  to  the  knives  by  a  foot  lever  is  shaved 
to  any  desired  degree  of  thickness  by  a  screw  arrange- 
ment which  regulates  the  distance  between  the  knives 
and  the  cylinder. 

Chrome-tanned  leather  on  account  of  its  loose  tex- 
ture is  particularly  difficult  to  shave  by  hand,  so  that 
the  shaving  process  is  done  by  machine. 

Splitting 

Leather  is  now  split  by  the  splitting  machine.  This 
machine  cuts  skins  into  two,  three,  or  even  more  layers 
by  means  of  a  long,  keen,  vibrating  knife-edge  cleverly 
regulated  by  a  gage  which  may  be  set  to  cut  any  de- 
sired thickness.  As  leather  is  elastic  the  workman  in 
charge  of  this  splitting  machine  must  be  expert  in  con- 
trolling the  action  of  the  knife,  lest  the  hide  draw  away 
from  it,  making  the  layers  uneven.  Different  parts  of 
the  hide  are  of  different  thickness  and  not  equally  soft 
or  firm  so  that  he  must  adjust  the  top  screws  of  the 
machine  to  cut  the  thick  part  under  more  pressure  than 
the  thin.  To  avoid  loss  it  is  most  essential  that  the 
splitter  should  be  one  of  the  most  skilful  workmen. 
The  layers  of  leather  produced  by  this  process  are  called 

"  splits." 

Previous  to  the  invention  of  the  splitting  machine 
'(i860)  a  shaving  method  was  followed  which  was  not 
only  laborious  but  wasteful. 


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48 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


Small  skins  are  dressed  whole,  but  sheep,  goat,  cow, 
and  horsehides  are  usually  split  for  use  in  shoe,  bag,  or 
glove  leathers.  For  sole  leather  the  whole  thickness 
is  used.  Soda,  in  the  form  of  sodium  carbonate,  is 
sometimes  added  to  the  lime  in  the  dehairing  process 
of  skins  to  be  split.  This  causes  an  extreme  degree  of 
swelling  which  facilitates  the  splitting  of  the  skin. 

Splits  are  naturally  coarser  in  texture  than  whole 
skins  but  they  are  strong,  durable  when  well  prepared, 
and  much  cheaper.  They  may  be  finished  in  many 
ways  by  means  of  artificial  graining.  Bag  leathers  are 
sometimes  made  of  split  hides.  The  cheaper  grades  of 
suitcases  are  covered  with  tanned  sheepskin  or  with 
the  inferior  parts  of  split  hides. 

Scouring 

In  this  process  the  skins  are  wet  in  warm  soapy 
water  and  stone  slickers  and  brushes  are  worked  over 
the  surface  of  the  leather  both  on  the  grain  and  the 
flesh  side.  These  remove  the  bloom,  loose  tan,  and 
dirt,  and  smooth  the  surface. 

Stuffing 

The  dressing  or  stuffing  is  next  applied  to  soften 
and  feed  the  skin  which  has  been  deprived  of  its  natural 
material.  This  gives  life  and  fulness  to  the  leather 
and  makes  it  capable  of  taking  and  holding  the  finish. 


f 


CURRYING  OR  DRESSING 


49 


Grease  or  oil  mixed  with  other  materials  and  known  as 
fat-liquor  is  worked  into  the  skin,  usually  from  the 
grain  or  hair-side  as  this  side  takes  it  best. 

Dressings  or  Fat-Liquors 

The  dressings  used  in  stuffing  are  composed  in  gen- 
eral of : 

Oils,  which  restore  the  natural  fat  destroyed  by 
tanning  materials. 

Waxes,  which  combine  with  the  oils  with  water- 
proofing effect,  and  also  give  the  desired  deep, 
clean,  lustrous  appearance. 

Soaps. 

Varnishes. 

Glues. 

These  dressings  are  combined  in  proportions  suitable 
to  the  kind  of  leather  to  be  dressed  and  to  the  effect 
desired.  The  formula  by  which  the  various  dressings 
are  made  used  to  be  among  the  sacred  trade  secrets. 
However,  as  the  knowledge  of  chemistry  and  its  appli- 
cation to  the  preparation  of  leather  becomes  more  wide- 
spread, this  has  become  general  intelligence.  The  mix- 
ture of  all  pastes,  polishes,  and  dressings  for  leather 
is  closely  connected  with  the  mixture  of  the  dressings 
or  fat-liquors,  as  the  principles  are  the  same.  What- 
ever makes  a  good  dressing  for  the  leather  in  its  pre- 
paration is  likely  to  make  the  proper  dressing  to  keep 


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so 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


finished  leather  goods  in  good  condition  and  attractive 
in  appearance. 

The  following  are  some  of  the  materials  used  in  fat- 
liquors  and  dressings.  These  are  also  the  bases  of 
good  polishes  and  pastes. 

Animal  Oils 

Cod-liver  oil  is  prepared  from  the  livers  of  cod  fish 
chiefly  from  Norway,  Newfoundland,  and  Scotland. 
Those  from  Newfoundland  are  of  the  best  quality. 
The  crude  oil  used  by  tanners  is  obtained  from  partly 
decayed  livers  and  therefore  has  a  strong  and  unpleas- 
ant smell.  Rosin  and  mineral  oils  used  as  adulterants 
of  cod-liver  oil  contain  matter  which  is  injurious  to 
leather. 

Seal  oil  and  whale  oil  are  good  substitutes  for  cod- 
liver  oil,  but  give  a  paler  yellow  color. 

Fish  oils  are  obtained  from  various  kinds  of  fish. 
These  tend  to  dry  the  leather,  as  they  contain  a  large 
quantity  of  fatty  acids  which  absorb  oxygen  and  form 
a  hard  coating  on  the  fiber. 

Neat's- foot  oil  is  prepared  from  the  feet  of  cattle 
and  other  animals.     Tallow  and  wool  fat  are  also  used. 

Degras,  the  excess  of  oil  recovered  from  the  chamoy- 
ing  process,  is  highly  prized  for  the  finer  leathers.  It 
is  mixed  with  tallow,  wool  fat,  and  other  materials. 
It  contains  25  per  cent  water.    A  coarse  form  of  de- 


CURRYING  OR  DRESSING 


SI 


»1 


gras  is  known  as  sod  oil.  So  great  is  the  demand  for 
degras  that  its  manufacture  is  now  a  specialized  branch 
of  the  leather  industry. 

Egg  yolk,  which  contains  animal  oil,  is  also  used. 

Other  Oils 

The  vegetable  oils  used  are  castor  oil  from  the  castor 
bean,  linseed  oil  from  the  flax  seed,  particularly  val- 
uable for  japanned  or  patent  leathers,  and  olive  oil. 

Vaseline  and  glycerin  are  also  used.         % 

Waxes 

The  waxes  used  in  dressings  are  beeswax,  paraffin, 
and  carnauba  wax,  which  is  used  especially  for  brown 
leather  dressings. 

Soaps 

Soaps  are  used  for  the  fatty  acids  they  contain. 
The  acids  should  constitute  at  least  65  per  cent  of  the 
soap.  Soaps  used  for  dressings  should  contain  no 
free  alkali. 

Varnishes 

Varnishes  which  are  used  for  water-proof  or  en- 
ameled and  glazed  goods,  are  animal  fats  or  vegetable 
fats,  as  linseed  or  other  oils,  combined  with  gum  ara- 
ble, resin,  or  shellac,  to  give  the  desired  gloss  and  hard 
finish. 


li:  i 


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X 


52 


Glue 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


Glue  made  from  the  skin  and  bones  of  animals  is 
used  to  restore  the  gelatin  removed  by  tanning  and  to 
fill  the  coarse  open  grains.  When  mixed  with  an  oil 
and  a  gum  it  makes  a  good  dressing  for  calf,  seal,  and 
other  dull  leathers. 

Fillers 

The  filiers  or  materials  used  to  fill  the  pores  and 
give  body  may  be  talc,  china  clay,  or  starch.  The 
coloring  matters  may  be  lampblack,  yellow  ocher,  and 
aniline  dyes. 

Hand-Stuffing 

Hand-stuf!ing  is  the  process  by  which  the  workman 
rubs  the  dressing  in  by  hand  with  a  stuffing  cloth, 
brush,  or  glove.  Rapid  drying  or  extreme  heat  hind- 
ers the  stuffing  from  thoroughly  penetrating  the  skin. 
In  summer  it  may  take  only  24  hours,  but  in  winter 
2  or  3  days  according  to  the  weather.  The  slower 
process  of  stuffing  by  hand  makes  a  leather  superior  to 
that  stuffed  more  rapidly  by  machinery. 

Drum-Stuffing 

Drum-stuffing  is  done  by  a  revolving  circular  ma- 
chine which  looks  like  a  drum.     It  is  covered  on  the 


CURRYING  OR  DRESSING 


S3 


i  .1 


inside  with  wooden  pins  that  catch  the  skins  with 
which  it  is  filled,  lift  them  out  of  the  warm  fat  liquid, 
and  drop  them  back  into  it  again  time  after  time.  In 
this  way  the  leather  is  evenly  stuffed. 

The  skins  are  put  into  the  machine  wet.  The  ma- 
chine is  then  heated  to  100°  F.  The  amount  of  heat 
applied  must  be  most  carefully  regulated,  lest  the 
leather  be  injured.  When  the  leather  is  warm  the 
fat-liquor  is  introduced  through  the  hollow  axle  and 
the  two  are  rotated  together  for  an  hour  or  so  until 
all  the  liquid  grease  is  absorbed. 

Drum-stuffing  is  used  for  cheaper  leathers.  It  is  not 
only  more  rapid  than  hand-stuffing  but  forces  more  of 
the  fats  into  the  leather.  Some  drum-stuffed  goods  it 
is  said,  contain  50  per  cent  of  grease,  while  only  10 
per  cent  of  grease  is  absorbed  in  the  hand-stuffing  pro- 
cess. 

The  stuffing  or  fat-liquoring  process  is  of  vital  im- 
portance for  the  satisfactory  finishing  of  chrome- 
tanned  leathers  as  this  method  of  tannage  tends  to 
make  a  leather  less  solid  and  firm  than  the  bark  tanned. 
This  shows  particularly  in  skins  which  are  of  loose 
texture  or  which  have  been  swollen  too  much  by  the 
liming  process. 

Drying 

In  drying,  the  texture  of  the  skins  must  be  consid- 


'i   \\ 


!  M 


54 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


ered.  A  slow,  natural  heat  is  essential  to  strong,  dur- 
able, and  beautiful  leather.  The  leather  is  now  said  to 
be  "  in  the  russet "  and  is  full,  plump,  and  soft,  ready 
for  the  finishing  processes. 


Chapter  IX 
DYEING 

General  Principles 

In  the  dyeing  of  leathers  the  same  principles  apply 
as  in  the  dyeing  of  textiles  made  from  animal  fiber,  and 
it  is  very  similar  to  the  dying  of  silk  and  wool. 

The  skins  must  be  free  from  impurities  and  should 
be  kept  in  motion  during  the  dyeing  process  so  that 
the  dye  liquor  will  permeate  every  portion  of  the  skin 
thoroughly  and  evenly.  The  temperature  of  the  dye 
liquor  is  most  important  and  must  be  skilfully  regu- 
lated, lest  the  heat  weaken  the  animal  fiber. 

In  selecting  the  dyes  the  method  of  tannage  must 
be  considered  as  the  same  dye  will  produce  entirely 
different  effects  on  vegetable-tanned  and  chemically 
tanned  skins.  In  tawed  or  chamoyed  leather  there  is 
great  uncertainty.  The  kind  of  skin  and  its  texture 
also  influences  the  color  and  the  method  of  finishing 
the  leather  may  change  it. 

It  is  advisable  never  to  put  the  skins  into  dye  liquor 
of  full  strength.  The  animal  fiber  has  a  great  affinity 
for  color,  and  absorbs  so  readily  that  it  may  take  a 

55 


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S6 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


deeper  color  than  is  desired,  therefore  the  skins  put  in 
first  will  come  out  much  more  deeply  colored  than 
those  put  in  last.  For  this  reason  a  series  of  baths  is 
given  or  else  the  dye  is  constantly  added  to  the  bath  as 
the  skins  absorb  the  color.  Every  part  of  a  skin  should 
come  in  contact  with  the  dye  liquor  at  one  plunge  lest 
the  portions  first  introduced  be  more  deeply  colored 
than  others. 

In  order  to  give  satisfactory  results  the  skins  must 
be  well  tanned  and  free  from  defects.  One  of  the  im- 
perfections most  frequently  seen  in  colored  leathers  is 
a  shady,  mottled,  or  streaked  effect  due  to  carelessness 
in  liming.  A  skin  which  has  been  soaked  too  long  is 
spongy  in  spots,  thus  noticeably  affecting  the  action  of 
the  dye  in  these  spots. 

Water 

Pure  water  is  most  necessary  in  dyeing  leathers, 
since  impurities  of  any  kind  not  only  injure  the  skins 
but  often  react  with  the  coloring  matters  to  produce  a 
color  entirely  different  from  the  one  desired.  The  tan- 
ner must  consider  whether  the  water  is  hard  or  soft, 
what  its  impurities  are  and  their  influence  on  his  leather, 
and  he  must  understand  the  method  by  which  it  can 
be  made  pure  enough  for  use.  Hard  water  contain- 
ing lime  or  magnesium  react  with  the  lime  in  liming 
and  with  the  soaps  used  in  dressings  and  so  must  be 


DYEING 


57 


softened  by  a  chemical  which  will  precipitate  these 
salts.  Mineral  matters  such  as  iron  combine  with  the 
tannin  to  make  insoluble  materials  or  give  an  undesir- 
able color  effect  which  often  appears  as  stains  in 
leather.  Impurities  such  as  soot  and  particles  of  veg- 
etable matter  must  be  filtered  out  as  they  not  only  make 
spots  on  the  leather,  but  hinder  the  action  of  the  dye 
materials.  Pure  rain  water  is  the  best,  river  water 
second.    Well  water  is  undesirable. 

Methods 

Two  methods  of  dyeing  leather  are  commonly  used, 
bath  or  plunging,  and  flat  surface  dyeing  or  staining. 
In  the  former  the  whole  skin  is  colored  and  in  the  lat- 
ter usually  the  grain  side  only. 

* 
Bath  Dyeing 

Many  skins  may  be  dyed  at  one  time  by  the  dyeing 
machine  or  drum  method.  This  machine  has  facili- 
ties for  letting  the  liquor  run  in  at  the  proper  time  and 
for  running  it  off  in  any  position  and  also  for  keeping 
the  dye  solutions  at  the  proper  temperature  120°  to 
130°.  The  dye  penetrates  better  and  is  laid  more 
evenly  if  the  dye  bath  is  not  too  hot.  The  drum  ma- 
chine method  thoroughly  penetrates  the  goods  with  the 
dye  liquor  which  gives  even  shades.  Sample  skins  are 
taken  out  from  time  to  time  and  the  liquid  is  pressed 


ii 


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LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


out,  so  that  the  exact  color  may  be  determined.  They 
are  then  again  immersed  in  the  bath  which  has  fresh 
coloring  matter  added  to  it  until  the  desired  shade  is 
obtained.  It  usually  takes  from  i4  to  %  of  an  hour 
to  dye  skins,  dependent  upon  the  size  of  the  skin  and 
color. 

When  the  skin  has  taken  the  desired  color  it  is  rinsed, 
smoothed  and  nailed  on  a  board  or  stretched  by  other 
suitable  means  to  dry.  The  temperature  of  the  drying 
room  must  be  well  regulated  if  the  heat  is  produced  by 
artificial  means.  Dyed  leather  is  dried  rather  quickly 
so  that  the  dye  may  not  sink  in  or  the  air  oxidize  the 
color  and  change  its  shade.  Bath  dyeing  may  also  be 
done  in  trays  or  vats  in  which  the  skins  are  moved 
about  by  hand  in  the  dye  liquor  for  about  half  an 
hour. 

Flat  Surface  Dyeing 

Flat  surface  dyeing  is  an  old  method  but  still  fol- 
lowed particularly  in  the  Cordovan  or  tougher  leath- 
ers. Tawed  leather  and  glove  leathers  are  also  often 
brush  dyed  as  an  immersion  in  dye  liquor  would  in- 
volve loss  of  alum. 

The  damp  skin  is  stretched  on  a  table  or  board  and 
first  brushed  with  a  mordant  and  medium  soft  brush. 
This  is  followed  by  several  brush  applications  of  the 


M 


DYEING 


59 


dye  stuff.  Excess  of  color  is  washed  off  and  each  skin, 
when  dyed  to  the  desired  color,  is  rinsed,  smoothed, 
and  stretched  to  dry.  A  sizing  of  linseed  jelly  or  gela- 
tin is  sometimes  applied  to  prevent  too  deep  penetra- 
tion of  the  stain  and  to  fill  up  the  pores  of  defective 
leather.  There  are  in  use  machines  in  which  the  dye 
liquor  is  put  on  by  a  revolving  brush.  To  avoid  dye- 
ing both  sides,  skins  are  sometimes  paired  or  "  pleated  " 
and  the  outside  of  each  brushed. 

In  staining  leathers  only  the  flesh  side  is  subjected 
to  the  dye.  The  stain  is  not  rinsed  off  as  the  object  is 
to  penetrate  the  fibers  deeply  and  give  the  leather  a 
well-nourished  look. 

Mixing  the  dyes  with  the  stuffing  or  seasoning  may 
also  be  considered  a  form  of  flat  surface  dyeing. 

After  dyeing  and  drying  the  skins  must  again  be 
softened  by  manipulation  and  dressings.  They  are 
then  finished  according  to  the  desired  purpose,  which, 
whether  graining,  sueding  or  glaceing,  brings  out  the 
color  effect. 

Dyeing  of  Chrome-Tanned  Leather 

Because  of  its  compact  fibers  chrome-tanned  leather 
is  dyed  with  difficulty. 

The  skins  are  sorted  in  the  "  blue."  Sometimes 
they  are  dyed  before  the  fat-liquoring.     They  may  be 


1^1 


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i  ; 


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6o 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


dyed  any  color  before  drying,  but  when  once  dried  can- 
not be  colored  satisfactorily  as  they  soon  become  im- 
pervious to  moisture. 

Dyeing  of  Chamoyed  Leather 

Chamoyed  leather  because  of  its  water-resistant 
quality  is  difficult  to  dye.  The  skins  are  carefully  di- 
vided for  black  and  colored  goods,  only  the  finest  and 
nearly  perfect  grain  skins  being  suitable  for  fancy 
colors.  Sometimes  the  skins  are  given  a  wash  of  color 
after  the  regular  dyeing. 

Kinds  of  Dyes 

Before  the  introduction  of  coal  tar  dyes  *  the  cur- 
rier had  a  limited  and  uncertain  range  of  coloring 
materials  to  select  from,  being  dependent  upon  dye 
woods  and  animal  coloring  matter  for  his  colors.  By 
the  aid  of  these,  however,  he  produced  colored  leather 
that  was  attractive,  good,  and  durable.  Today  he  uses 
three  kinds:  (i)  aniline  or  coal  tar  dyes,  (2)  the  old 
natural  dyes,  animal  dyes  such  as  cochineal,  and  veg- 
etable dyes  such  as  indigo,  logwood,  or  madder,  and 
(3)  mineral  dyes  as  iron  or  copperas. 

1  Coal  tar  dyes  are  manufactured  from  coal  tar  which  is  one  of  the  by- 
products of  the  coke  oven.  In  1906  (fifty  years  after  their  discovery)  62,- 
000  different  varieties  and  colors  of  aniline  dyes  were  in  existence.  They 
have  almost  entirely  replaced  the  old  natural  dyes  such  as  indigo.  In  Ger- 
many the  government  fostered  the  industry  and  practically  controlled  it  un- 
til the  present  war.  A  few  plants  were  in  existence  in  New  Jersey  and  New 
England  at  that  time.  The  war  has  given  great  impetus  to  a  development 
of  the  industry  in  this  country. 


i^i 


I 


DYEING 


61 


•M 


Aniline  Dyes 

Aniline  dyes,  though  often  uncertain  in  result  and 
in  some  cases  not  satisfactorily  resistant  to  fading,  are 
especially  adapted  to  the  dyeing  of  leather.  As  the 
animal  tissue  readily  absorbs  and  fixes  them,  no  special 
mordant  or  fixing  solution  is  necessary,  the  tannic  acid 
in  the  leather  being  a  mordant  in  itself.  Their  bril- 
liancy, cheapness,  and  the  great  variety  of  shades  they 
produce  make  them  doubly  attractive  so  that  practi- 
cally they  have  almost  displaced  the  more  difficult, 
tedious  and  uncertain  natural  dyes. 

Natural  Dyes 

The  natural  dyestuffs  still  find  a  place  in  leather 
dyeing  and  staining  because  they  give  a  more  durable 
though  less  brilliant  color  than  the  artificial  dyes.  Log- 
wood, Brazilwood,  fustic,  sumac,  and  cochineal  are  the 
principal  ones  still  in  use.  Catechu  or  cutch  is  val- 
uable as  it  contains  both  tannin  and  coloring  matter. 
They  are  often  used  in  the  form  of  crystallized  ex- 
tracts. Brazilwood  gives  beautiful  and  durable  yel- 
lows, reds,  and  browns.  Cochineal  makes  a  bronze 
effect. 

The  natural  dyes  are  always  used  as  a  grounding  for 
color  in  tawed  leather  as  in  this  case  it  is  impossible 
to  get  a  suitable  depth  of  color  by  tar  dyes  only. 
Wood  dyes  are  not  so  easily  affected  by  dirt  and  soil 


Ul 


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62 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


and  so  for  this  reason  are  valuable  for  gloves  and 
pocketbooks. 

Bronzed  Leather 

Both  basic  and  acid  dyes  applied  in  strong  solution 
frequently  show  when  dry  a  metallic  luster  or  bronze 
effect  due  to  the  formation  of  small  bright  colored 
crystals  where  the  surface  reflects  the  light.  This  ef- 
fect however  is  not  fast  to  rubbing  or  dampness  un- 
less made  more  permanent  by  a  coat  of  lacquer  or 
varnish. 


Chapter  X 

QUALITIES  OF  GOOD  LEATHER 

Good  Leather 

The  quality  of  leather  depends  upon  the  thickness, 
strength,  and  flexibility  of  the  fiber  of  the  animal  skin, 
upon  its  careful  and  scientific  tannage,  and  upon 
thorough  and  suitable  currying  or  dressing.  In  judg- 
ing a  piece  of  leather  we  consider  its  durability  or 
resistance  to  water  and  wear.  This  is  largely  depend- 
ant upon  its  texture  as  finished  leather.  Good  leather  is 
firm  but  soft  and  pliable,  of  a  clear  and  even  color,  and 
fine  finish. 

Texture 

The  old  tanner  tested  his  leathers  by  making  a  cut 
in  the  thickest  part  of  the  skin.  If  a  spongy  and  loose 
texture  or  shaded  color  was  apparent,  it  indicated  an 
inferior  skin  or  incomplete  and  inferior  tannage. 

Leather  should  be  compact  and  uniform  in  thick- 
ness and  color.  It  should  be  of  a  homogeneous  sub- 
stance throughout,  that  is,  entirely  free  from  un- 
changed gelatin  or  living  animal  tissue,  which  shows 

63 


ii; 


^1 


■  n 


64 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


that  the  tanning  is  complete.  A  spongy  and  loose  tex- 
ture shows  in  blotches  of  color  and  uneven  texture  be- 
cause the  leather  wears  out  in  these  places  indicating 
an  inferior  skin  or  inferior  tannage.  Horny  leather 
is  a  skin  having  dry  and  hard  parts  due  to  imperfect 
tannage,  or  to  a  lack  of  softening  in  the  currying  pro- 
cess. 

Some  finished  skins  show  minute  pin  holes  where 
the  tanning  liquor  failed  to  tan  them  thoroughly. 
These  places  are  affected  by  water.  Other  skins  con- 
tain many  thin  places  due  to  careless  use  of  the  knives 
or  machines  in  fleshing. 

Durability 

The  strength  and  durability  of  leather  depends  upon 
its  texture  and  flexibility.  Some  leathers  are  natur- 
ally more  flexible  than  others,  depending  upon  the  tex- 
ture of  the  living  animal  fiber.  But  all  properly  tanned 
and  dressed  leather  will  have  a  reasonable  amount  of 
stretch  which  it  will  retain  with  proper  use  and  care. 
Sole-leather  is  an  exception  to  this  general  rule,  the 
special  treatment  that  is  given  to  it  making  it  very 
close  in  grain,  compact,  and  only  slightly  elastic. 

Softness 

The  lighter  leathers  especially  should  be  soft  and 
flexible,  though  firm  and  strong.     The  currying  of 


QUALITIES  OF  GOOD  LEATHER  65 

leather  brings  out  its  characteristics  of  flexibility  by 
dressing  and  manipulations  which  also  restore  the  nat- 
ural softness  of  the  skin. 

Resistance  to  Water 

Animal  tissue  well-tanned  and  dressed  with  oils  will 
shed  the  water.  A  method  of  determining  the  quality 
of  leather  is  to  drop  water  on  the  hair  side  of  a  tanned 
skin.  If  the  drop  of  water  does  not  soak  into  the 
leather  it  is  said  to  be  well  tanned.  If,  however,  the 
leather  absorbs  the  water  it  is  said  to  be  poorly  tanned. 
Damp  leather  is  apt  to  be  affected  by  the  air  and  will 
deteriorate  in  quality.  For  this  reason  it  should  be 
made  water-resistant  and  kept  so  by  oiling. 

Finish 

The  grain  and  luster  of  leather  is  its  chief  beauty. 
The  natural  grain  should  stand  out  prominently  after 
the  processes  of  dressing  and  finishing. 

Color 

Color  in  leather  may  be  natural  as  the  result  of  the 
vegetable  coloring  matters  of  the  tanning  liquor,  but 
in  most  cases  it  is  produced  by  dyeing  or  staining.  The 
variety  of  colors  which  leather  will  take  effectively  is 
almost  unlimited. 

The  color  should  be  full,  deep,  rich,  and  beautiful, 


I 


66     LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 

whether  a  subdued  luster  as  in  the  case  of  a  dull  gun- 
metal,  a  glassy  reflection  of  the  light,  as  in  enameled 
and  patent  leather,  or  the  soft  velvety  shades  of  the 
suede  or  glace  finish. 


I 

I 

i 

1 


Chapter  XI 

SUBSTITUTE  LEATHER 

Varieties 

Substitute  or  imitation  leather  may  be  artificial 
leather,  or  real  leather  stamped  with  an  artificial  grain 
in  imitation  of  a  natural  skin.  What  is  called  pig- 
skin is  often  embossed  sheepskin,  which  also  mas- 
querades as  alligator,  sharkskin,  lizard,  and  other  leath- 
ers used  in  fancy  goods.  Glazed  kid  is  also  imitated 
in  sheep  and  goat. 

Some  substitute  leather  contains  no  leather  at  all, 
as  the  textile  back  proves,  or  it  may  be  a  combination 
of  ground  leather  and  other  ingredients.  Pocketbooks, 
hand-bags,  and  leather  novelties  in  the  cheaper  grades 
are  made  from  such  substitutes  for  real  leather,  as  are 
suitcases  and  traveling  bags. 

Reasons  for  Large  Amount  of  Substitute  Leather 

In  the  United  States,  which  draws  upon  the  whole 
world  for  its  supply  of  raw  materials  for  leather,  the 
number  of  hides  and  skins  used  increased  i6  per  cent 
between  1899  and  1909  and  their  cost  increased  59 

67 


!(        fl 


i       A 


i\ 


68 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


per  cent.  In  this  as  in  the  case  of  other  commodities 
the  demand  for  the  finished  product  often  exceeds  the 
supply  as  the  standards  of  Uving  rise.  Nations  which 
have  heretofore  worn  wooden  shoes  now  want  leather 
ones  and  the  manufacturer  cannot  produce  on  a  scale 
large  enough  to  provide  them.  Kid  gloves  must  be 
supplemented  by  fabrics  as  the  relative  supply  of  ani- 
mals decreases  because  of  the  fact  that  some  of  the 
animals  are  becoming  scarce  and  the  demand  is  in- 
creasing. 

For  this  reason  substitutes  for  leather  should  be 
encouraged  and  welcomed,  if  they  are  labeled  as  such. 

Imitations  in  leather  may  be  divided  into  two  classes, 
those  which  contain  leather  in  their  composition,  and 
those  which  do  not. 

Imitations  Containing  Leather 

In  this  class  are  those  made  from  refuse  leather 
fleshings,  etc.,  reduced  to  pulp,  molded,  pressed  into 
shape,  and  water-proofed  by  mixtures  containing  india 
rubber,  glue,  starch,  wax,  and  similar  materials.  To 
this  mixture  may  be  added  chips  of  paper,  rags,  and  oak 
bark,  to  give  a  natural  color,  and  beeswax  to  give 
flexibility. 

Leather-Board 

Leather-board  is  the  best  representative  of  this  class. 


SUBSTITUTE  LEATHER 


69 


It  is  used  largely  for  heels,  counters,  and  inner  soles  in 
shoe  manufacture.  It  is  almost  impossible  to  find  a 
factory  where  it  is  not  used.  It  was  first  made  in  New 
England.  Its  use  came  about  because  of  the  desire  to 
reduce  the  cost  of  the  shoe  by  using  it  for  those  sec- 
tions where  it  could  be  substituted  for  large  pieces  of 
strong  leather.  Its  use  became  so  general  that  not 
enough  skivings,  leather  shavings,  could  be  obtained 
to  make  it.  New  mills  were  established  to  produce  it 
and  the  quality  was  improved  as  manufacturers  learned 
how  to  handle  the  fiber  and  how  to  utilize  its  chemical 
possibilities.  The  New  England  mills  still  produce  the 
best  quality.  Much  power  is  necessary,  so  leather- 
board  mills  are  situated  where  water  power  is  available. 
Skivings  and  sole-leather  waste  are  now  used. 

These  are  first  reduced  to  a  pulp  in  large  beating 
machines.  The  pulp  is  then  dried  in  sheets  on 
machines  similar  to  paper  drying  machines  and  the 
sheets  rolled  and  finished.  All  gritty  material  which 
would  injure  the  cutting  wheels  must  be  kept  out. 
Leather-board  is  made  in  a  variety  of  thicknesses  from 
one- fourth  to  less  than  one-sixteenth  of  an  inch  and  is 
sold  in  bundles  of  sheets. 

Imitations  Containing  No  Leather 

Imitation  leathers  are  textiles  coated  with  gelatinous 
compounds  containing  resins  and  treated  with  tannin 


i 


^ 


70 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


or  aluminum  acetate  to  make  the  coating  insoluble  in 
water. 

Leatheroid  is  a  combination  of  chemically  treated 
paper,  rubber,  and  other  ingredients  pressed  into  heavy 
sheets  and  used  for  trunks  and  suitcases. 

Leatherine  is  calico  treated  with  rubber  or  rubber 
substitute  to  give  the  effect  of  leather. 

Another  artificial  leather  is  made  from  pyroxylin 
combined  with  wool  or  lanolin  and  applied  by  a 
machine  to  a  textile.  Several  coats  are  applied  and 
made  compact  by  friction  calendering.  The  various 
grains  are  embossed  upon  it  with  good  effect,  and 
dyeing  produces  the  desired  colors.  To  increase  the 
wearing  qualities  and  the  gloss,  artificial  leather  is 
often  varnished  after  embossing.  Some  of  it  is  hand- 
decorated.  Much  of  the  so-called  antique  or  mission 
leather  is  of  this  type  and  also  the  so-called  chamois 
leather  used  for  underwear.  Sole,  patent,  and  split 
leathers  are  imitated  in  pyroxylin  leather. 

Another  artificial  leather  is  made  of  glue,  16  parts; 
rape  oil,  4  parts;  water,  16  parts;  glycerin,  8  parts; 
boiled  linseed  oil,  18  parts.  This  mixture  is  dried  into 
tough  sheets,  treated  with  tannin,  pressed,  and  dried. 
(See  Figure  2.) 


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INTENTIONAL     SECOND  EXPOSURE 


70 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


or  aluminum  acetate  to  make  the  coating  insoluble  in 
water. 

Leatheroid  is  a  combination  of  chemically  treated 
paper,  rubber,  and  other  ingredients  pressed  into  heavy 
sheets  and  used  for  trunks  and  suitcases. 

Leatherine  is  calico  treated  with  rubber  or  rubber 
substitute  to  give  the  effect  of  leather. 

Another  artificial  leather  is  made  from  pyroxylin 
combined  with  wool  or  lanolin  and  applied  by  a 
machine  to  a  textile.  Several  coats  are  applied  and 
made  compact  by  friction  calendering.  The  various 
grains  are  embossed  upon  it  with  good  effect,  and 
dyeing  produces  the  desired  colors.  To  increase  the 
wearing  qualities  and  the  gloss,  artificial  leather  is 
often  varnished  after  embossing.  Some  of  it  is  hand- 
decorated.  Much  of  the  so-called  antique  or  mission 
leather  is  of  this  type  and  also  the  so-called  chamois 
leather  used  for  underwear.  Sole,  patent,  and  split 
leathers  are  imitated  in  pyroxylin  leather. 

Another  artificial  leather  is  made  of  glue,  16  parts; 
rape  oil,  4  parts;  water,  16  parts;  glycerin,  8  parts; 
boiled  linseed  oil,  18  parts.  This  mixture  is  dried  into 
tough  sheets,  treated  with  tannin,  pressed,  and  dried. 
(See  Figure  2.) 


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Chapter  XII 
PREPARATION  OF  LEATHER  FOR  BAGS 

Kinds  of  Leather  Used 

The  skins  used  for  traveling  bags  and  suitcases  are : 

Cowhide 

Pigskin 

Horsehide  or  Coltskin 

Goat 

Seal 

Walrus 

Alligator 

Crocodile 

Sheepskin 

The  leather  in  cowhide  bags  is  usually  called  sole- 
leather  though  bags  are  made  of  split  hides,  while  soles 
are  made  of  the  whole  skin.  The  process  of  tanning 
is  also  different  as  bag  leather  should  be  more  pliable 
and  elastic. 

The  bag  manufacturer  buys  his  leather  tanned  but 
not  finished  in  order  that  he  may  better  adapt  it  to  his 
purpose. 

n 


H 


ii 


72 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


Colors 

Cowhide  and  pigskin  are  often  used  in  the  natural 
color,  only  darkened  by  the  dressing,  or  they  may  be 
dyed  black  with  the  brush. 

Seal  and  walrus  are  dyed  black.  Alligator  and 
crocodile  are  left  in  their  natural  colors  of  brown  and 
tan,  or  dyed  dark  brown  or  black. 

The  dyeing  of  bag  leathers  is  done  with  a  brush  as 
the  skins  are  spread  on  a  table. 

Finishing  Processes 

The  finishing  processes  for  leather  are  those  which 
produce  the  various  kinds  of  grain  or  surface.  For 
bag  leather  they  consist  of : 

Graining 

Boarding 

Glossing  or  glazing 

Embossing 

Fluffing 

Buffing 

Enameling 

Waxing 

Satin  or  gloss  finishing 

Graining 

The  leather  is  shaved  to  the  required  thickness  on  a 
skiving  machine  which  also  makes  it  soft  and  pliable. 


PREPARING  LEATHER  FOR  BAGS 


73 


It  is  then  grained  or  embossed.  Walrus  skins  are 
shrunk  by  a  process  which  gives  an  irregular  and  more 
natural  grain. 

Graining  or  boarding  is  done  by  folding  the  skin 
inside  out  and  creasing  it  by  pressure  with  a  cork 
covered  pommel  called  an  arm-board.  According  to 
the  way  in  which  the  creases  are  made  the  leather  will 
show  a  long  grain,  criss-cross,  or  pebbled  surface. 
Graining  may  only  deepen  and  bring  out  the  natural 
grain  of  the  skin,  or  may  give  an  artificial  grain  to 
imitate  more  costly  leathers.  Seal  grain  leather  is  a 
goatskin,  sheep,  or  split  leather  grained  or  embossed  to 
look  like  seal.  This  is  also  known  as  Levant.  Box 
calf  is  a  common  form  of  grained  leather.  It  is  a 
chrome-tanned  calf  with  a  checkered  pattern  of  fine 
creases  on  it.  (See  Figure  i  for  the  natural  grains 
of  representative  heavy  leathers.) 

Boarding 

Boarding  is  a  process  similar  to  graining  which  gives 
a  pebbled  effect.  This  process  at  the  same  time  softens 
and  brightens  the  leather.  Boarded  leather  may  also 
be  a  leather  whose  surface  is  faintly  lined  by  undula- 
tions stamped  upon  it.  Boarded  cowhide  makes  an 
effective  bag  leather. 

Glossing  or  Glazing 

Glossing  or  glazing  is  bringing  out  a  smooth  or 


74 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


glazed  appearance  on  leather.  There  are  many  varie- 
ties of  machines  used  but  one  of  the  most  common 
consists  of  an  arm  with  pendulum  motion  which  swings 
from  a  long  pole  attached  to  the  ceiling.  The  glazing 
tool  on  the  bottom  of  the  arm  is  a  cylinder  of  glass  or 
hard  wood.  The  leather  is  placed  under  this  rapidly 
moving  cylinder  and  in  time  it  takes  on  a  high  polish 
or  gloss  due  to  friction.  This  should  not  be  confused 
with  the  hard,  bright  surface  of  the  enamel  or  patent 
finish.  The  machine  must  be  regulated  so  that  the 
heat  produced  by  the  friction  does  not  become  too 
intense. 

Embossing 

Embossing  or  stamping  is  done  by  machines  with 
rollers  upon  which  the  various  types  of  grain  are  cut. 
The  leather  is  put  in  these  machines  and  stamped  with 
the  desired  graining.  Cowhide,  pigskin,  and  horse- 
hide  or  coltskin  are  usually  grained.  Seal  and  walrus 
are  embossed  to  bring  out  the  natural  marking  or  what 
these  are  supposed  to  be.  Split  leather  and  goatskin 
are  often  embossed  in  imitation  of  seal  or  walrus. 

Much  imitation  leather  is  produced  in  this  way. 
After  the  grain  is  raised  by  boarding  a  coating  of  cellu- 
loid varnish  is  sometimes  applied  to  aid  in  bringing  out 
the  imitation  grain  or  pattern  stamped  on  it.  A  good 
split  calfskin  or  sheepskin  prepared  in  this  way  makes 


PREPARING  LEATHER  FOR  BAGS 


75 


a    fairly    durable,    water-proof,    and    cheap    leather. 

Embossing  leather  dates  back  to  a  very  early  period. 
The  Egyptians  practiced  it  nearly  3,000  years  ago. 
About  the  thirteenth  century  it  was  practiced  in  Italy, 
Spain,  and  England.  It  is  today  used  to  finish  leathers 
for  bookbinding,  bags,  purses,  and  fancy  articles. 
Sheepskin  is  embossed  to  imitate  Morocco,  seal,  or 
alligator,  cowhide  to  imitate  pigskin,  etc. 

Embossing  machines  in  which  electrotyped  copper 
rollers  and  plates  imitate  the  patterns  of  real  skins  can 
now  be  obtained  by  the  manufacturer.  Some  of  the 
most  delicate  and  beautiful  markings  are  reproduced 
with  perfect  fidelity.  This  electrotype  process  is 
rapidly  becoming  a  highly  specialized  branch  of  leather 
manufacture,  making  it  possible  to  have  excellent  imita- 
tions of  natural  skins  at  far  less  cost. 

Alligator  and  crocodile  do  not  need  to  be  grained  or 
embossed,  as  they  have  a  scaly  surface  divided  into 
small  sections  by  deep  cuts  or  depressions.  Splits  may 
be  embossed  to  imitate  alligator  but  the  imitation  can 
be  detected  by  examining  the  edges  of  the  scales.  If 
these  seem  slightly  undercut  as  if  one  might  raise  them 
with  a  knife  the  leather  is  genuine.  Pearl  alligator  is 
a  horny  variety  made  from  the  tail  of  the  animal. 

Fluffing 

Fluffing  is  subjecting  the  flesh  side  of  the  skins  to 


I      Ml 


1(> 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


the  action  of  a  rapidly  revolving  emery  wheel  which 
smooths  the  flesh  side,  levels  the  skin,  removes  the 
marks  of  bad  shaving,  and  raises  a  fine  nap.  There 
are  fine  and  coarse  emery  wheels  suitable  for  fine  and 
coarse  leathers. 

Buffing 

Leathers  finished  on  the  grain  side  sometimes  have 
a  thin  film  of  grain  scoured  off  by  a  process  known  as 
buffing.  The  grain  side  is  dampened  with  a  soap 
solution  and  thin  shavings  are  taken  off.  The  buffing 
machine  manipulates^a  cylinder  roll  with  very  sharp 
knife  blades  which  perform  this  delicate  operation. 
Mocha  glove  leather  is  prepared  by  a  similar  process. 
Split  side  leathers  are  often  dressed  in  this  way. 

Buffing  is  often  resorted  to  when  skins  have  defects 
such  as  barbwire  scratches  on  the  surface. 

Enameled  Leather 

Patent,  enameled,  or  japanned  leather  is  used  for 
bags  and  suitcases,  hand-bags,  purses,  belts,  and  novel- 
ties. It  may  be  either  kid,  calf,  horse,  colt,  or  seal, 
finished  with  a  bright  varnished  and  water-proof  sur- 
face. The  term  enameled  is  usually  applied  to  leathers 
with  a  shiny  finish  on  the  grain  side,  and  patent  or 
japanned  to  those  finished  on  the  flesh  side  or  to  split 


PREPARING  LEATHER  FOR  BAGS 


77 


leather  given  this  finish.  It  may  be  in  colors  though 
generally  it  is  black.  Enameled  leather  is  usually 
grained  or  boarded. 

Large,  thin,  firm  hides,  dry-tanned  are  generally 
used.  When  dry,  after  tannage,  they  are  tacked  on 
frames  and  grounded  with  a  mixture  of  linseed  oil, 
white  lead,  and  litharge,  a  glazing  material,  boiled 
together  and  thickened  with  chalk  and  ocher.  Succes- 
sive coats  made  of  vegetable  oils  and  gums  are  then 
applied,  each  coat  being  thoroughly  dried  and  worked 
into  the  fiber  before  the  next  is  given.  The  last  coat 
is  applied  with  a  brush  and  the  leather  baked  for  three 
days  in  an  oven  at  low  temperature,  and  finally  exposed 
to  the  sunlight  which  oxidizes  the  varnish  and  gives 
the  finish. 

Patent  leather,  even  though  made  of  good  and 
reputable  stock,  is  liable  to  crack  with  wear.  When 
the  leather  expands  the  coating  of  varnish  is  not  cor- 
respondingly elastic,  although  recently-invented  varnish 
coatings  are  noticeably  more  pliant. 

Splits  to  be  enameled  receive  a  dressing  of  linseed  oil 
boiled  to  a  jelly  and  thinned  with  turpentine  or  naphtha 
which  forms  a  sort  of  artificial  grain.  The  skins  are 
stretched  on  frames  while  damp  to  prevent  the  dress- 
ing from  penetrating  the  leather  too  deeply.  Skins 
for  this  finish  must  be  well  softened  but  not  subjected 


i 


78 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


to  much  smoothing.  The  number  of  coatings  varies 
with  the  kind  of  skin  and  purpose  for  which  it  is  to  be 
used. 

The  Germans  and  French  have  made  more  of  this 
branch  of  currying  than  the  English.  The  United 
States  uses  it  for  ox  hides.  Patent  leather  was  made 
in  the  United  States  as  early  as  1818  but  only  recently 
has  attained  its  present  excellence,  rivaling  the  French 
and  German  in  finish. 

Waxed  Leathers 

Wax  leathers,  used  for  bags  and  suitcases,  are 
leathers  finished  black  on  the  flesh  side.  They  are 
usually  made  from  the  butts  which  as  a  rule  are  the 
only  parts  sufficiently  compact  in  fiber  to  make  waxed 
leather.     Heavy  calf  is  often  given  the  wax  finish. 

Each  currier  has  his  own  ideas  as  to  the  best  methods 
to  produce  a  good  and  deep  black  on  leather.  Some 
use  a  weak  paint  made  of  cod  oil  and  lampblack,  others 
put  the  black  dye  into  a  soap  solution.  There  is  no 
danger  of  deepening  the  color  in  the  latter  method  as 
is  sometimes  the  case  with  the  oil  color.  In  either 
case  it  is  applied  by  hand  or  brush  and  well  rubbed  in 
after  a  top  and  bottom  size  of  glue,  flour,  or  soap.  The 
skins  are  hung  up  to  dry  and  finally  glassed  and  oiled 
with  warm  cod  oil.     Properly  waxed  leather  should 


PREPARING  LEATHER  FOR  BAGS 


79 


improve  with  age.     Black  grains  are  kip  shoulders 
dressed  and  blacked  on  the  grain  side. 

Satin  or  Glove  Leathers 

Satin  or  glove  leathers  are  finished  on  the  grain 
side.  "  Glove-shoe  "  leather  usually  means  a  split  or 
a  leather  which  has  had  the  grain  removed  and  then 
has  been  given  a  satin  finish.  Splits  are  said  to  wear 
better  as  the  grain  surface  naturally  becomes  hard  and 
cracks  under  the  finish.  After  buffing  (or  removing 
the  grain)  the  leather  is  blacked  with  a  logwood  solu- 
tion and  sized  as  in  waxed  leathers.  It  is  then  dried 
out,  softened,  glassed  or  pebbled,  and  finally  oiled  with 
cod  oil  and  stored  in  the  store  room  to  age.  Extreme 
care  must  be  taken  to  avoid  marks  of  any  kind  during 
the  process. 


in 


Chapter  XIII 

MANUFACTURE  OF  TRAVELING  BAGS  AND 

SUITCASES 

Varieties  of  Traveling  Bags 

Traveling  bags  are  of  many  styles  and  sizes  to  suit 
the  needs  of  many  kinds  of  travelers.  There  are  bags 
for  men  and  women,  for  those  whose  trip  is  to  be  a 
long  one,  and  those  who  may  be  going  away  over  a 
night  or  a  week-end,  for  those  whose  tastes  are  simple, 
and  for  those  who  travel  in  luxury. 

Styles 

The  names  given  to  traveling  bags  may  designate 
their  purpose  and  special  features  or  may  merely  refer 
to  the  shape  of  the  bag.  Standard  bags  of  different 
shapes  are  now  given  the  following  names : 

Madison,  with  full  round  ends. 

Victoria,  a  flatter  bag,  ends  folding  inwards. 

Balmoral,  a  modified  Victoria. 

Windsor,  with  lower  part  of  bag  boxed,  square 

ends. 

Washington,  a  modified  Windsor,  with  a  welt  in 

the  middle  of  the  ends.     (See  Figure  3.) 

80 


( 


A\ 


Courtesy  of  K.  Kaufmann  and  Company 
Figure  3.     Traveling  Bag  of  Seal 


11 

1    '1 


MAKING  BAGS  AND  SUITCASES 


8i 


(1 


Leamington,  a  modified  Windsor. 

Bags  may  have  more  marked  characteristics. 

The  kit  bag  is  intended  for  hard  usage,  made  of  soft 
hide  or  pigskin,  soft  and  pliable  and  often  made  so 
that  it  can  be  folded  flat,  to  save  space  in  traveling. 

The  collapsible  bag  is  similar  to  the  kit,  but  may  be 
made  of  thinner  leathers. 

The  Gladstone  bag  is  not  unlike  a  suitcase  in  shape, 
but  is  deeper  in  proportion  to  its  length  and  has  a 
pasteboard  piece  for  holding  shirts  fastened  over  one 
side.  It  opens  flat  and  is  a  good  sort  for  men's  use. 
(See  Figure  4.)  .       • 

The  cabin-top  bag  has  boxed  ends  and  a  top  which 
may  be  fastened  without  pressure  on  the  sides  of  the 
bag.     (See  Figure  5.) 

The  shirt-bottom  bag  has  a  leather  fold  for  shirts 
fastened  on  the  outside. 

The  over-night  bag  is  small  and  fitted  to  its  purpose. 

The  motor-rail  bag  is  made  with  loops  to  fasten  it 
to  a  car  rail  and  is  soft  and  compressible. 

The  hold-all  or  carry-all  is  an  oblong  piece  of  cloth 
made  to  roll  around  luggage.  It  may  have  round 
reinforced  ends  and  handles  and  straps  fastened  to  it, 
or  it  may  have  only  loops  through  which  detachable 
straps  are  slipped  thus  allowing  it  to  be  folded  flat  when 
not  in  use. 


82 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


ft 


Materials 

Though  leather  is  the  basis  of  the  better  grades  of 
bags  they  also  require  iron  for  the  framework;  iron, 
brass,  or  nickel  for  hinges,  locks,  rivets,  nails;  paste- 
board or  tarboard  for  the  foundation ;  and  cotton,  linen, 
or  silk  materials  for  linings  and  interlinings. 

Making  the  Outside  of  the  Bag 

After  the  leather  has  been  dyed  and  grained  or 
embossed,  patterns  of  pasteboard  or  zinc  are  laid  on  it 
and  the  pieces  cut  for  the  different  parts  of  the  bag. 
The  edges  of  each  piece  are  skived  or  shaved  thin  so 
they  may  be  turned  in  neatly.  For  this  purpose  the 
operator  uses,  besides  a  shaving  machine,  a  sandpaper 
machine  which  wears  the  leather  away  by  friction. 

The  parts  are  seamed  together  with  strong  linen 
thread  on  sewing-machines.  In  many  of  the  better 
grade  bags  a  folded  strip  of  leather  called  a  welt  is 
sewed  between  the  two  larger  pieces  to  give  the  seam 
strength  and  a  finish.  The  sides  and  ends  may  be  cut 
in  only  two  pieces  with  a  welted  seam  rimning  up  the 
middle  of  each  end. 

The  bottom  of  the  bag  is  then  sewed  in  by  hand  or 
machine  after  the  stiff  interlining  has  been  glued  on. 
If  the  sides  or  ends  are  to  be  "  boxed  "  the  stiffening 
is  put  in  at  this  time.  In  some  bags  the  ends  and 
bottom  piece  are  in  one  strip  with  seams  at  the  comers 


1 

I  M 


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Courtesy  of  K.  Kautmann  and  Company 
Figure  4.     Gladstone  Bag 


:   11 


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ll'^ 


MAKING  BAGS  AND  SUITCASES 


83 


and  still  others  have  a  welted  seam  through  the  middle 
of  this  piece  and  seams  at  the  corners  also.  Some  bags 
have  a  seam  running  around  them  at  the  top  of  the 
stiffened  portion. 

The  material  for  stiffening  is  either  pasteboard,  tar- 
board,  or  stiffened  canvas.  The  latter  is  the  most 
durable.  Some  bags,  especially  those  of  the  kit  style, 
have  soft  sides,  ends,  and  even  bottoms,  while  others 
have  a  collapsible  bottom  made  by  a  deep  lengthwise 
cut  in  the  stiffening  board  which  allows  it  to  fold  up  in 
the  middle. 

Corners 

Reinforcing  the  comers  gives  added  strength  to  a 
bag.  This  is  usually  done  by  adding  small  pieces  of 
leather.  These  are  cut  out,  embossed,  stamped  into 
shape,  and  applied  on  the  outside.  Recently,  however, 
a  method  of  reinforcing  from  the  inside  has  been 
invented  which  can  be  used  for  bags  having  no  comer 
seams.  The  corners  of  the  side  pieces  are  rounded  out 
by  a  stamping  machine  before  the  bag  is  sewed 
together.  Canvas  and  reinforcing  material  is  then 
applied  on  the  inside  of  these  hollows  and  sewed  on 
from  the  outside  giving  an  effect  similar  to  the  applied 
corners  but  without  the  edges  that  become  roughened 
and  worn.  Figure  4  shows  a  cabin-top  bag  with  cor- 
ners reinforced  from  the  inside. 


it 


;    ( 


84 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


Lining 

While  the  outside  of  the  bag  has  been  in  the  process 
of  construction  the  Hning  has  been  cut,  pockets  or  other 
pieces  applied,  and  the  whole  sewed  together  ready  for 
insertion. 

The  linings  may  be  of  leather,  silk,  linen,  or  cotton. 
Leather  linings  are  easily  kept  free  from  surface  dust 
and  are  durable  and  handsome  in  appearance  though 
they  are  easily  stained.  Owing  to  the  increasing  cost 
of  leather  they  are  being  replaced  by  silk  linings  which 
formerly  were  more  expensive. 

Moire,  or  watered  silk,  usually  found  in  blue,  green, 
purple,  or  gray,  is  preferred  for  this  purpose. 

Checked  Irish  linen  is  very  durable  and  appropriate 
for  bags  which  are  likely  to  have  hard  wear. 

Cotton  linings  may  be  found  in  imitation  of  linen 
canvas.  A  heavy  satin-finished  twill  also  makes  an 
excellent  lining,  and  if  made  of  mercerized  cotton  the 
finish  will  be  permanent. 

Attaching  to  Frame 

The  iron  frame  to  which  the  bag  is  attached  is 
covered  first  with  a  strip  of  leather  to  match  that  of 
the  bag.  The  frame  may  have  a  long  slit  running 
around  it  through  which  the  bag  is  sewed  by  hand  or 
it  may  be  solid  with  small  holes  for  rivets.  Bags  which 
are  sewed  on  the  frame  are  called  hand-sewed  or  Eng- 


MAKING  BAGS  AND  SUITCASES 


85 


lish  bags.  The  riveted  bags  have  small  brass  nails  or 
rivets  driven  through  the  frame,  leather,  and  linings. 
The  rivets  are  then  clipped  off  and  hammered  flat  on 
the  inside.  The  rough  edges  are  usually  covered  with 
a  strip  of  leather  or  brass  but  sometimes  the  edge  of  the 
lining  is  turned  in  and  the  strip  is  omitted. 

Finishing 

Attachments  for  the  handle,  lock,  and  safety  catches 
are  riveted  to  the  frame.  The  lock  is  screwed  on,  the 
handle  attached,  and  ornamental  or  protective  pieces 
added  to  the  hinges,  the  bottom,  or  other  parts  as 
desired.  The  bag  is  varnished  or  given  its  final  dress- 
ing, the  brass  fittings  are  lacquered  to  prevent  them 
from  tarnishing,  and  the  bag  is  ready  for  shipment. 

Sizes 

Traveling  bags  range  in  size  from  12  to  26  inches. 

Styles  of  Suitcases 

While  the  shapes  of  bags  differ  in  many  ways,  suit- 
cases and  traveling  boxes  vary  only  in  size  and  in  the 
relation  of  their  different  dimensions.  They  are  all 
rectangular  boxes,  made  over  a  stiff  box  or  frame. 
The  principal  styles  now  in  use  are : 

Standard  oblong  suitcase. 

Week-end  box  with  several  compartments  and 
trays. 


•  I 


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r 


*  1 1 


•'I 


86      LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 

Over-night  case,  a  small  box  with  fittings. 
Hat  box  for  men,  with  hat  form  and  straps. 
Bonnet  box  for  women  with  straps  and  cushions 
inside. 

A  special  variety  of  box  is  the  luncheon  box  or  basket 
or  the  tea  basket  which  has  become  popular  for  motor 
trips. 

Bags  and  suitcases  are  often  fitted  with  toilet  articles 
and  conveniences  for  traveling,  and  Juncheon  boxes  or 
baskets  are  usually  fitted  with  the  necessary  dishes  and 
utensils  for  containing  and  serving  the  food. 

These  fittings  have  grown  so  numerous  and  impor- 
tant as  to  require  a  special  section. 

Materials  for  Suitcases 

Suitcases,  week-end  boxes,  and  similar  traveling 
cases  are  made  not  only  of  leather,  but  of  wicker,  mat- 
ting, and  enameled  cloth.  The  body  of  the  box  may 
be  of  light  wood  or  tarboard  and  the  materials  for  the 
frame,  linings,  and  finishings  are  the  same  as  for  bags. 
The  Body 

The  most  satisfactory  body  for  a  suitcase  is  a  three- 
ply  basswood,  but  a  far  larger  number  are  made  over 
a  tarboard  foundation.  Basswood  is  light  and  tough, 
so  that  it  retains  its  shape.  The  corners  of  a  basswood 
foundation  are  rounded  so  that  they  may  be  easily  dis- 
tinguished. 


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Courtesy  of  K.  Kaufmann  and  Company 

Figure  5.     Cabin-Top  Bag 


'.   ij 


MAKING  BAGS  AND  SUITCASES 


87 


I 


Tarboard  is  made  from  paper  waste  and  old  tarred 
rope.  The  tar  makes  it  water-proof.  It  is  usually 
gray  or  red  in  color.  Less  expensive  suitcases  are 
made  over  pasteboard  and  fiber  foundations. 

Wicker  is  a  kind  of  pliant  willow  used  for  basket- 
work  and  requires  no  box  foundation.  The  material 
is  softened  by  soaking  in  water  and  it  is  then  woven 
and  bent  into  the  required  shape.  The  wicker  for 
suitcases  is  usually  split. 

Matting  is  made  from  various  straws  and  grasses 
and  from  the  fibrous  husk  of  the  cocoanut  palm.  The 
fibers  are  woven  by  a  loom  into  a  fabric.  The  warp 
threads  or  those  running  lengthwise  are  made  of  heavy 
cotton  or  hemp,  which  gives  strength  to  the  material. 
The  matting  is  woven  wet  and  then  dried  in  the  sun  or 
by  slow  fires.  The  fibers  take  beautiful  colors  either 
by  dyeing  or  staining.  The  material  may  be  dyed 
before  weaving  or  it  may  be  dyed  in  the  piece.  Aniline 
dyes  are  used.  Most  of  the  matting  comes  from  Japan 
and  China.  Matting  suitcases  must  have  a  found- 
ation of  tarboard  or  pasteboard. 

Fiber  is  a  material  used  for  cheaper  suitcases.  It  is 
a  heavy,  thick,  water-proofed  paper  made  from  paper 
waste  or  wood  pulp  treated  by  chemicals,  formed  into 
a  pulp,  and  dried  in  sheets.  It  is  also  used  for  trunks. 
Enameled  cloth  is  made  by  coating  cloth  with  a  water- 
proof dressing  which  is  painted,  embossed,  or  grained 


I 


88 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


MAKING  BAGS  AND  SUITCASES 


89 


i 


to  look  like  leather,  and  varnished.     ( See  Chapter  XI 
on  "Substitute  Leather.") 

Linings  for  Suitcases 

The  linings  of  suitcases  may  be  of  leather,  moire 
silk,  checked  linen,  cotton  or  linen  crash,  the  two  latter 
being  found  in  all  the  less  expensive  grades. 

Silk  is  a  beautiful  textile  made  from  the  filaments  of 
the  silk  worm's  cocoon.  The  silk  fiber  is  exceedingly 
strong,  but  the  moire  finish  is  produced  by  a  process  of 
ironing  and  may  be  worn  off. 

Linen  is  a  strong,  smooth,  lustrous  textile  made 
from  the  stems  of  flax.  It  also  has  a  leathery  texture 
which  makes  it  suitable  for  bag  purposes.  It  is  the 
strongest  and  best  of  textile  linings. 

Cotton  is  another  textile  made  from  vegetable  fiber. 
It  is  not  so  strong  as  silk  or  linen  and  fades  more 
readily.  Since  it  is  a  vegetable  fiber  it  crushes  easily 
and  unless  made  of  the  long  cotton  fibers  it  soon  soils. 
Because  of  its  cheapness  and  the  many  kinds  of  finishes 
which  it  will  take  it  is  the  textile  most  generally  used. 

The  Making  of  Suitcases 

The  wood,  tarboard,  or  pasteboard  foundation  of  the 
case  is  cut  according  to  pattern.  Wooden  bodies  are 
nailed  or  riveted  together,  tarboard  bodies  are  bent  into 
shape  and  glued.  The  corners  of  the  better  cases  are 
reinforced  with  bands  of  iron  or  heavy  cloth.     The 


leather  or  other  material  is  glued  on  the  outside  of  the 
two  parts  of  the  case  and  these  are  then  attached  to  the 
iron  frames  which  form  the  firm  edges  for  the  box  and 
cover.     This  may  be  done  by  sewing  or  riveting. 

Suitcases  with  wooden  foundations  have  rounded 
corners  and  look  more  solid  and  strong  than  any  others. 
The  lock  and  attachments  for  the  handle  and  strap  are 
put  on  and  the  lining  is  pasted  in.  Sometimes  a  strip 
of  leather  covers  the  edges  of  the  lining.  Fiber, 
enameled  cloth,  and  matting  cases  usually  have  the 
edges  bound  with  leather  or  fiber  material  and  the 
corners  reinforced.  The  binding  and  corners  may  be 
sewed  or  riveted  on. 

The  lining  for  the  cover  is  usually  pasted  on  heavy 
paper  and  the  pad  thus  formed  is  glued  in.  This  gives 
opportunity  for  covering  the  ends  of  straps  and  the 
sides  of  pockets. 

The  hinges,  handle,  and  inside  or  outside  straps  are 
attached  and  the  case  is  given  its  finishing  touches. 

Suitcases  range  in  size  from  18  to  28  inches. 

Other  Bags 

Telescope  cases  consist  of  a  box  and  cover  of  equal 
depth,  which  make  it  possible  to  expand  or  contract 
them.  They  are  usually  made  of  fiber  and  sometimes 
reinforced  or  bound  on  the  edges  but  are  not  lined. 
Some  are  made  of  pasteboard,  covered  inside  and  out 
with  gray  cotton  cloth. 


I  i 


3  ; 


90 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


f 


Hat  and  bonnet  boxes  are  made  of  hide  or  of  tar- 
board  covered  with  enameled  cloth. 

Luncheon  boxes  are  lined  with  water-proof  material, 
sometimes  having  one  or  more  compartments  made  of 
aluminum. 

The  hold-all  or  carry-all  is  made  of  canvas  enameled 
cloth  or  worsted  materials  lined  with  canvas  and  bound 
around  with  leather  straps,  or  strap  loops  are  riveted 
on. 


Chapter  XIV 

HAND-BAGS  AND  PURSES 

Articles 
The  division  of  hand-bags  and  purses  contains: 

For  women : 

Leather  and  silk  bags  with  metal  frames 
Leather  and  silk  bags  with  draw  strings 
Bead  bags  and  crocheted  silk  bags 
Envelope  bags  and  purses 
Coin-purses 
Card-cases 

For  men : 
Boston  bags 
Bill-folds 
Wallets 
Coin-purses 
Card-cases 

Leathers 

The  leather  for  these  articles  is  made  of: 


Splits 
Pigskin 


Alligator 
Kangaroo 


.: 


)  . 


91 


92 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


Colt 

Deer 

Sheep 

Goat 

Seal 

Walrus 


Wallaby 

Fishskin 

Lizard 

Snake 

Calfskin 


Finishes  for  Leather 

Graining  is  applied  to  pigskin,  calf,  goat,  seal,  and 
sea-lion.  Pin  seal  is  finished  with  a  small  pin  point 
grain.     Crepe  seal  is  finished  with  a  wavy  grain. 

The  suede  finish  is  given  to  split  calf  and  sheepskin. 

The  skins  of  fish,  lizards,  and  snakes  are  dyed  and 
finished  with  the  natural  grain. 

The  popular  Morocco  finish  is  given  to  goat,  split 
calf,  and  sheepskins.  Pin  Morocco  is  grained  like  pin 
seal. 

Cordovan  leather  is  made  from  split  horsehide,  goat, 
and  pigskin. 

Levant  leather  may  be  made  of  various  skins.  (See 
Frontispiece  for  the  representative  grains  and  finishes.) 

Morocco 

Morocco  leather  was  originally  a  sumac-tanned  goat- 
skin made  in  Morocco  or  North  Africa.  Its  distin- 
guishing color  was  a  bright  red  or  saffron  produced  by 
cochineal  dye.     It  was  elastic,  strong,  and  soft  but  firm 


HAND-BAGS  AND  PURSES 


93 


in  grain  and  texture.  It  is  still  made  there  and  is  used 
particularly  in  red,  for  expensive  book  bindings.  It 
is  used  in  other  colors  too  as  the  genuine  Morocco  can 
be  dyed  in  the  finest  shades.  It  is  stained  on  the  grain 
side. 

The  Morocco  of  today  is  goatskin  of  any  vegetable 
tannage  or  hair  seal.  Sheepskins  are  often  finished 
as  French  Morocco,  the  leather  made  from  the  Kazan 
and  other  coarse  wool  sheep  being  hard  to  detect  from 
the  real  Morocco  leather.  Split  calf,  chrome-tanned, 
is  often  given  the  Morocco  graining  and  sold  as 
Morocco.  The  grain  is  produced  by  the  usual  graining 
or  boarding  process  with  an  additional  crossing  both 
ways  from  corner  to  corner  or  by  being  put  under  dies 
or  pendulum  rollers  which  are  engraved  either  with 
grooves  or  in  imitation  of  grain. 

Morocco  leathers  are  now  made  by  all  European 
countries  but  the  United  States  ships  its  Moroccos  all 
over  the  world,  the  chrome  tannage  used  making  it 
possible  to  produce  quickly,  easily,  and  cheaply. 

Cordovan 

Cordovan  is  a  soft,  firm,  small-grained  leather  made 
from  split  horsehide.  It  derives  its  name  from  the  city 
of  Cordova  in  Spain  where  it  is  supposed  to  have  been 
prepared  originally  by  the  Moors.  In  the  eleventh 
century  it  enjoyed  a  great  reputation  because  persons 


m 


94 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


of  rank  wore  shoes  of  Cordovan  leather.  It  has  a 
beautiful  fine  grain  and  is  dyed  in  a  variety  of  colors. 
Dogskin,  goatskin,  and  pigskin  are  now  made  up  to 
imitate  the  genuine  horsehide  Cordovan.  The  nearly 
water-proof  skin  of  the  horse  makes  an  excellent  qual- 
ity of  leather. 

Levant 

Levant  leather  usually  means  leather  with  an  em- 
bossed or  printed  surface  finished  in  grain.  The 
surface  is  bright  but  dressed  with  oil  only,  rather  than 
stuffed  with  fats  and  greases  as  are  wax  leathers. 
Inferior  goods  unsuitable  for  wax  or  satin  finish  may 
be  utilized  in  this  way.  The  embossing  is  done  with 
an  engraved  roller  which  is  passed  over  the  slightly 
dampened  skin.  After  this  the  leather  is  blacked  with 
logwood,  softened,  and  grained. 

Vachette  is  a  straight  grained  calf  with  an  enamel 

finish. 

Russia  leather  has  been  treated  with  the  juices  of 
willow  bark  and  curried  with  oil  of  birch  bark. 

Suede  Leather 

Sheepskin  splits  are  often  finished  by  the  sueding 
process,  as  are  also  Mochas  which,  without  the  sueding, 
would  be  much  too  thick  and  too  unyielding  for 
wear. 


HAND-BAGS  AND  PURSES 


95 


Suede  leathers  are  most  invariably  tawed  with  alum, 
salt,  flour,  and  egg  yolk  to  which  olive  oil  or  glycerin 
has  been  added.  If  they  are  to  be  pure  white,  oil 
should  be  omitted  and  a  second  dressing  given  in 
French  chalk  or  China  clay. 

Suede  leathers  take  dyes  readily  in  a  variety  of  soft 
and  beautiful  shades. 

The  best  grade  suede  skins  come  from  Armenia, 
North  Africa,  and  China,  as  these  skins  are  thick  and 
can  stand  the  removal  of  the  grain  for  sueding.  Ooze 
is  leather  with  a  suede  finish. 

Silk 

Silk  bags  may  be  of  taffeta,  satin,  brocade,  grosgrain 
or  faille,  or  of  velvet. 

Taffeta  is  a  plain-weave  silk. 

Satin  is  a  silk  with  a  bright  surface  produced  by  the 
satin-weave.  In  this  weave  the  weft  or  cross-threads 
are  carried  under  one  thread  of  the  warp  and  over 
several  (as  five  or  seven)  leaving  them  floating  on  the 
surface.  These  long  threads  produce  the  shining  satin 
effect  but  make  the  material  less  firm  and  durable. 

Brocade  is  a  fabric  woven  in  elaborate  patterns  on 
the  Jacquard  loom.  The  design  is  made  to  stand  out 
from  the  background  as  though  it  were  embroidered 
upon  it. 

Grosgrain  or  faille  has  a  heavy  cross  thread  intra- 


96 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


duced  in  the  weaving  giving  it  a  ribbed  effect.  It  is  a 
strong  silk  especially  suitable  for  linings. 

Velvet  has  a  plain  weave  foundation  with  an  extra 
warp  thread  introduced  to  form  loops  which  when  cut 
make  the  pile  or  nap.  Panne  or  chiffon  velvet  is 
given  its  high  luster  by  pressure.  Velvet  is  a  beautiful 
material  but  crushes  easily  and  the  nap  wears  off  if 
it  has  hard  usage. 

Brocade,  satin,  and  velvet,  are  appropriate  for  fancy 
bags  and  are  often  elaborately  trimmed. 

Crocheted  bags  of  heavy  silk  twist  are  also  found. 
Bags  made  of  silver,  steel,  or  colored  beads  are  now 
fashionable.  ( See  "Manual  on  Jewelry  and  Silverware."  ) 

Silk,  whether  for  the  outside  or  inside  of  the  bag, 
and  whether  taffeta,  velvet,  moire,  grosgrain,  or  satin 
brocade,  should  be  of  good  quality  and  unweighted 
or  pure,  otherwise  it  is  not  suitable  for  this  purpose 
where  durability  is  not  only  expected  but  required. 
Pure  silk  combines  strength  and  elasticity  of  fiber, 
which  make  it  durable,  with  softness  and  luster,  which 
make  it  beautiful.  It  can  be  dyed  in  a  great  variety 
of  colors  and  possesses  the  desirable  characteristic  of 
cleanliness  as  it  sheds  dust  readily.  If  given  a  water- 
proof finish,  it  is  even  more  suitable  for  bag  purposes. 

Artificial  silk  is  not  suitable  for  bags  which  are  to  be 
used  for  any  length  of  time.  It  is  cotton  treated  with 
chemicals  to  form  a  silk-like  material.     It  has  a  beau- 


HAND-BAGS  AND  PURSES 


97 


tiful  luster  and  artistic  effect  but  it  lacks  the  strength 
and  elasticity  of  silk,  and  will  cut  and  weaken  with  use. 
It  also  fades  more  readily  than  real  silk. 

Silk  fiber  has  a  great  affinity  for  dyes  which  makes 
it  possible  to  weight  silk  by  mixing  tin,  lead,  or  sugar 
with  the  dye  stuff.  This  adds  not  only  weight  but 
luster.  The  metal  substance,  however,  causes  the  silk 
to  cut  or  rot  in  a  very  short  time,  making  it  of  no  value 
for  articles  like  bags.  It  also  is  acted  upon  by  the 
air,  causing  the  silk  fabric  to  deteriorate  in  value. 

Clasps  and  Trimmings 

The  metals  used  for  the  clasps  and  trimmings  of 
hand-bags  are: 

Gold 

Silver 

Gun-metal 

German  silver 

Steel 

Brass 


Gold 

Pure  gold  is  too  soft,  as  well  as  too  expensive,  to  use 
as  trimmings  or  decoration.  For  commercial  use  gold 
is  "alloyed"  or  mixed  with  copper,  silver,  or  nickel 
to  make  it  harder  as  well  as  cheaper.  Gold-leaf 
used  for  decorative  purposes  is  gold  beaten  out  to 


98 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


■J^so^ooo  of  an  inch  in  thickness.  In  this  form  it  is 
sometimes  used  for  leather  decoration.  The  gold  used 
for  the  trimmings  of  bags  is  plated  or  washed  over  a 
base  metal.  (See  "Jewelry  and  Silverware  Manual" 
for  further  information  on  gold.) 

Silver 

Silver  is  nearly  as  soft  as  gold  and  must  be  mixed 
with  another  metal.  Sterling  silver  is  combined  with 
a  small  amount  of  copper.  It  contains  92%  per 
cent  of  pure  silver  and  is  often  used  in  bag  fittings  and 
decorations,  but  tarnishes  easily.  (For  further  infor- 
mation on  silver  see  "Jewelry  and  Silverware 
Manual.") 

German  silver  is  a  combination  of  zinc,  copper,  and 
nickel ;  copper  and  nickel  contributing  the  strength,  and 
zinc  and  nickel  the  desired  color  effect,  in  imitation  of 
silver.  This  is  a  durable  and  cheap  alloy  suitable  for 
bag  trimmings  and  also  for  fittings  for  bags  and  sets. 
It  does  not  tarnish. 

Other  Metals 

Nickel  is  a  hard  metal  which  is  not  easily  affected  by 
the  air.  Its  color  resembles  the  color  of  silver  which 
makes  it  useful  as  an  alloy  to  be  used  for  decoration. 
It  does  not  tarnish. 

Brass  is  an  alloy  of  zinc,  copper,  and  nickel,  which 


HAND-BAGS  AND  PURSES 


99 


is  generally  used  for  the  clasps  and  locks  of  bags  and 
sometimes  for  the  decorations.  Brass  is  more  readily 
affected  by  the  air  than  nickel  or  German  silver  and 
should  be  lacquered.  Nickel  is  sometimes  brassed 
over,  but  the  finish  wears  off  in  a  short  time. 

Gun-metal  is  a  finish  applied  to  any  metal  rather 
than  a  metal  itself.  The  original  gun-metal  was  an 
alloy  of  copper  and  tin  used  for  making  guns.  The 
dark,  purplish  color  of  this  is  imitated  by  treating  silver 
or  other  metals  or  alloys  with  sulphur,  which  produces 
the  dark  tarnish. 

An  oxidized  mount  is  nickel  toned  to  black  by  braz- 
ing or  a  dull  finish. 

Cut  steel  beads  for  the  decorations  of  bags  are  sewed 
on  in  patterns  like  embroidery. 

Making  Hand-Bags 

The  manufacturer  of  hand-bags,  pocketbooks,  and 
purses  buys  his  leathers  finished.  He  also  buys  the 
mounts  or  metal  tops  already  made  with  catches  and 
trimmings  attached. 

The  making  of  the  bag  consists  in  the  cutting  and 
sewing  together  of  the  parts  of  the  bag  and  attaching 
the  united  parts  to  the  mount  or  frame.  The  process 
is  similar  to  that  for  traveling  bags. 

Cutting 
The  designer  cuts  the  patterns  from  strong  paper, 


100 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


pasteboard,  or  light  metal.  These  patterns  are  laid 
upon  the  skin  and  the  various  pieces  cut  out  to  best 
advantage  so  that  no  leather  is  wasted.  A  number  of 
pieces  may  be  cut  at  once  because  the  leather  is  thin. 
The  edges  of  each  piece  are  skived  or  shaved  thin,  as 
in  the  making  of  traveling  bags,  so  that  they  may  be 
turned  in,  leaving  a  smooth,  neat  edge.  The  linings, 
paddings,  and  pockets  are  also  cut  by  pattern.  In  place 
of  patterns  the  parts  are  sometimes  cut  by  heavy  dies 
operated  by  a  lever  which  cuts  out  several  pieces  at  a 
time. 

Sewing 

Each  part  (outside,  padding,  and  lining)  is  sewed 
up  separately,  the  pockets  and  other  inside  conveniences 
having  already  been  fitted  and  attached  to  the  lining. 
In  sewing  up  the  outside,  a  welting  machine  similar  to 
the  one  used  in  the  making  of  traveling  bags  sews  in 
the  welt  between  the  lower  part  and  sides  of  the 
leather  in  some  of  the  heavier  hand-bags.  This  makes 
a  strong,  bulky  seam.  As  the  sewing  is  done  on  the 
unfinished  side  of  the  leather,  the  operator  may  press 
the  seam  out  by  turning  the  leather  and  pounding  it 
flat  with  a  hammer. 

Attaching 

The  parts  are  fitted  together  and  attached  to  the 


HAND-BAGS  AND  PURSES 


lOI 


frame  in  one  of  two  ways.  Between  the  sides  of  the 
frame,  which  is  usually  brass,  steel,  or  tin,  is  a  space 
called  the  channel.  Into  this  the  operator  forces  the 
upper  edges  of  the  fitted  parts,  pushing  them  well  up 
into  the  frame  with  a  hand  tool.  When  properly 
arranged  in  the  channel  the  frame  is  clamped  tight, 
either  by  hand  tool  or  machine,  fastening  it  securely  to 
the  bag.     The  better  bags  are  attached  in  this  way. 

In  cheaper  bags  an  inlay,  which  is  a  light  metal 
frame,  is  first  attached  to  the  fitted  parts.  This  is  then 
inserted  into  the  channel  and  riveted  in  place  in  the 
frame.  The  first  method  makes  the  neater  attachment 
and  one  also  sufficiently  strong. 

The  handle,  made  of  very  thinly  skived  leather  and 
suitably  lined,  is  finally  attached  to  the  finished  bag. 

Pocketbooks  and  Purses 

The  parts  of  pocketbooks  and  purses  are  also  cut  by 
pattern.  After  the  linings  are  fitted  with  the  pockets 
and  various  sections,  the  edges  of  the  leather,  thinly 
shaved,  are  turned  over  the  lining,  pasted  down,  and 
finally  sewed  into  shape.  If  the  article  is  closed  with  a 
snap,  the  snap  is  put  on  by  a  machine;  if  by  a  frame 
and  clasp,  it  is  attached  to  the  frame  by  the  same 
method  as  in  hand-bags.  Sometimes  there  is  an  inner 
section  mounted  in  a  frame,  and  an  outer  flap  closed 
with  a  plain  or  ornamental  clasp.     Padding  is  some- 


I02 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


times  used  as  an  interlining  of  pocketbooks  to  give  a 
full,  soft  appearance. 

Other  Styles 

Many  silk  bags  are  now  being  made  with  a  draw 
string.  These  are  all  called  pouch  bags  though  differ- 
ent in  shape  and  trimming.  Some  are  long  and  nar- 
row, ending  with  a  tassel  of  silk  or  beads,  others  have 
ruffles  and  frills.  The  "crinoline"  design  is  made 
with  overskirts  and  ruffles,  which  are  usually  em- 
broidered in  beads. 

Opera  bags  are  pouch  bags  of  soft  leather,  velvet,  or 
silk. 

A  popular  variety  of  crocheted  bags  is  long  and 
narrow  with  successive  bands  of  bright  colors. 

Envelope  bags  and  purses  are  flat,  and  made  like  an 
envelope  with  a  long  flap.  The  larger  ones  have  a 
strap  handle  of  leather  either  fitting  closely  over  the 
top  or  at  the  back.  They  usually  contain  a  mirror  and 
coin  purse  and  sometimes  a  powder  puff.  As  it  is 
desirable  that  they  should  keep  their  shape  they  are 
interlined  with  felt  paper,  canvas,  or  pasteboard  and 
the  thin  leather  is  sometimes  padded  with  cotton.  Silk 
is  the  customary  lining  though  kid  and  sheepskin  are 
also  used.  Ornament  is  confined  to  the  clasp,  corners, 
and  edge  of  the  flap. 

Some  flat  silk  bags  with  strap  handles  are  called 


HAND-BAGS  AND  PURSES 


103 


envelope  bags,  but  they  scarcely  answer  this  descrip- 
tion. 

Coin  or  change  purses  may  be  soft  and  flat,  made 
of  an  oblong  piece  of  leather  or  silk  stitched  on  the 
lining  and  then  folded  to  make  a  pocket  with  a  flap 
which  is  snapped  down  on  the  purse.  They  may  also 
be  of  heavier  leather  with  a  metal  frame  snapping 
together  at  the  top.  One  form  of  coin  purse  has  a 
central  stiffened  piece  with  a  pocket  for  change  on 
one  side  and  a  folding  piece  for  bills  on  the  other. 

Card-cases  differ  from  envelope  purses  in  having  no 
fastenings  though  some  have  a  pocket  which  is  closed 
with  a  clasp  or  leather  thong. 

Boston  bags  are  used  by  both  men  and  women  espe- 
cially for  carrying  papers  and  books.  They  are  the 
size  of  a  small  traveling  bag,  made  of  one  piece  of 
leather  with  a  strap  across  the  top  fastening  with  a 
buckle.     They  are  strong,  light,  and  roomy. 

Articles  for  Men 

Bill-folds  for  men  have  several  sections  for  cards 
and  a  secret  pocket  for  bills  which  runs  the  whole 
length.  They  fold  over  once  or  twice.  Some  are 
made  with  a  snap  fastening  and  some  without.  They 
are  unlined  as  well  as  lined  with  silk  or  leather. 

Wallets  have  several  pockets,  both  tight  and  gus- 
seted,  for  cards,  bills,  and  stamps.     Some  have  inside 


I04 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


flaps  over  the  pockets.  Some  wallets  for  men  have 
ornamental  corners  or  mounting  along  the  edge  of  the 
flap. 

One  form  of  coin-purse  for  men  is  called  the  tray 
design.  It  is  made  of  heavy  leather  such  as  pigskin 
with  one  side  rounded  and  the  other  square  cornered. 
One  portion  has  a  graduated  stiffened  collar  around  it 
measuring  about  half  an  inch  at  its  widest  point.  The 
other  section  has  one  or  two  pockets  covered  with  flaps 
and  fits  tightly  into  the  stiffened  rim  when  the  purse  is 
closed. 


Chapter  XV 

FITTED  BAGS  AND  CASES 

Varieties 

Fitted  bags  and  boxes  are  equipped  for  traveling. 
They  may  be : 

Toilet  cases  for  men  or  women 

Pullman  bags 

Over-night  cases 

Motor  toilet  cases 

Fitted  traveling  bags 

Fitted  suitcases 

Luncheon  cases 

Picnic  and  tea  baskets 

Toilet  Cases 

Toilet  cases,  containing  the  most  important  toilet 
articles  in  a  compact  form,  often  very  complete,  are 
sometimes  covered  with  leather  and  supplied  with 
handles  so  that  they  can  be  carried  as  separate  hand- 
bags. Others  are  leather-covered  cases  with  clasps  or 
straps  but  without  handles.  Still  others  are  made  of 
silk  to  match  the  lining  of  a  traveling  bag.     Small  ones 

105 


io6 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


are  made  of  rubberized  silk  and  lined  with  rubber. 

Toilet  Articles 

A  toilet  case  for  women  contains  hair  brush,  comb, 
mirror,  clothes  brush,  tooth  and  nail  brushes  (in 
holders),  soap  box,  talcum  powder  box,  hairpin  box, 
salve  jar,  tooth  powder  box,  buttonhook,  scissors,  nail 
file,  and  buffer. 

A  toilet  case  for  a  man  is  fitted  with  military  brushes, 
nail  and  tooth  brush  (in  a  case  or  guard),  comb, 
scissors,  tooth  powder  box,  bottle  for  liquid,  shaving 
brush,  shaving  soap,  clothes  brush,  and  nail  file. 
Some  toilet  cases  for  men  contain  mirrors,  but  many 
do  not.    (See  Figure  6.) 

A  further  description  of  toilet  articles  will  be  found 
in  the  "Jewelry  and  Silverware  Manual."  Those  for 
bag  fittings  should  be  as  small  and  light  as  is  possible 
without  affecting  their  strength  and  attractive  appear- 
ance. Space  and  weight  are  always  matters  of  im- 
portance. 

Materials 

The  fittings  may  be  of  ebony,  celluloid,  or  silver,  or 
for  very  luxurious  bags,  of  ivory,  tortoise  shell,  or 
gold.  The  bottles  are  of  glass  with  metal  stoppers  and 
add  greatly  to  the  weight  of  the  bag.  Receptacles 
made  of  celluloid  are  lighter  but  not  so  elegant  in 
appearance. 


FITTED  BAGS  AND  CASES 


107 


Brushes  and  manicure  articles  are  the  most  im- 
portant articles  in  traveling  equipment,  though  a  sew- 
ing box  is  necessary  for  a  journey  of  any  length.  The 
sewing  box  may  contain  from  one  to  three  pairs  of 
scissors,  a  knife,  a  stiletto,  a  thimble,  a  needle  and  pin 
case,  and  a  small  assortment  of  thread. 

Complete  Manicure  Sets 

Among  the  fittings  of  a  traveling  bag  or  suitcase  will 
be  found  more  or  less  complete  manicure  sets  which 
vary  according  to  the  general  equipment.  A  full 
manicure  set  may  include : 

Nail  file  for  filing  down  and  smoothing  the  top 

of  the  nail. 
Emery  boards  or  sand  boards  for  completing  this 

process. 
Orange  sticks  for  cleaning  the  nail  and  pushing 

back  the  cuticle. 
Nail  cleaner  of  steel. 
Cuticle  pusher  of  steel. 
Cuticle  scissors  for  cutting  the  skin  at  the  base  of 

the  nail.     These  have  long,  thin  points. 
Cuticle  knife  for  this  same  purpose. 
Tweezers  for  removing  hang-nails. 
Clippers  for  clipping  the  comers  of  the  nails. 
Nail  scissors  for  the  same  purpose.     These  have 

short  and  broad  points. 


io8 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


Nail  rouge  or  paste  for  polishing  the  nail. 
Nail  powder  to  complete  this  process. 
Buffer  or  pad  covered  with  chamois  for  applying 
the  rouge  and  nail  powder. 

Additional  articles  sometimes  found  are  a  button- 
hook, a  corn  knife,  and  a  blemish  extractor. 

It  will  be  seen  that  in  a  number  of  cases  there  are 
two  or  more  implements  for  the  same  purpose.  It  is 
well  to  know  the  purpose  and  use  of  each,  but  it  is  also 
well  to  know  which  are  the  necessary  articles,  as  some 
cases  are  not  even  supplied  with  all  of  these. 

Simple  Manicure  Sets 

The  simplest  equipment  should  include  a  file,  an 
orange  stick  or  cleaner,  cuticle  scissors,  nail  rouge  and 
powder,  and  a  buffer. 

The  file  should  be  fine,  smooth,  and  flexible,  and  the 
orange  stick  should  have  a  rounded  spade  end  if  it  is  to 
be  used  as  a  cuticle  pusher.  If  only  one  pair  of 
scissors  is  included  they  should  be  cuticle  and  not  nail 
scissors,  but  should  not  have  too  fine  needle  points. 

All  the  implements  are  made  of  steel  except  the 
emery  boards,  orange  sticks,  and  the  buffer.  The  nail 
cleaner  may  be  of  ivory  or  mother-of-pearl.  The 
handles  are  of  celluloid,  ebony,  mother-of-pearl,  ivory, 
silver,  or  gold.  Buffers  are  made  of  the  same  materials. 
They  sometimes  have  detachable  rims   for  inserting 


FITTED  BAGS  AND  CASES 


109 


new  chamois.     On  some  buffers  the  chamois  is  pro- 
tected by  a  small  cover. 

Manufacture  of  Toilet  Cases 

Toilet  cases  are  made  by  bag  manufacturers  from 
bag  materials  and  often  to  match  the  bag  linings. 

The  pieces  are  cut  from  pasteboard  patterns  with 
markings  for  loops  or  other  attachments.  The  lining 
is  pasted  on  felt  paper  and  an  interlining  of  canvas, 
stiffened  with  thin  cardboard,  is  pasted  in  the  covering 
if  that  is  made  of  leather.  If  the  case  is  covered  with 
silk  a  layer  of  cotton  wadding  is  inserted. 

All  loops  or  pockets  are  sewed  or  riveted  to  the  lin- 
ing, the  snap  fasteners  to  the  outside,  and  they  are  then 
glued  together.  Easels  which  are  to  hold  the  bag  fit- 
tings are  made  in  the  same  way  as  the  toilet  cases  but 
stiffened  with  heavy  board  so  that  they  will  stand  up- 
right. 

Pullman  Bags 

Pullman  bags  are  made  of  rubberized  silk  and  close 
with  draw  strings.  They  have  loops  inside  for  fittings 
which  are  in  very  compact  form  to  carry  from  the  berth 
to  the  dressing  room  of  a  puUman. 

Over-Night  Cases 

Over-night  cases  or  bags  have  the  toilet  articles 


no 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


necessary  for  a  short  trip  and  space  for  a  small  amount 
of  clothing.  The  toilet  articles  are  practically  the 
same  as  in  the  toilet  cases.  They  may  be  arranged 
on  a  removable  easel  or  in  loops  attached  to  the  lining. 

Motor  Toilet  Cases 

Motor  toilet  bags  are  made  of  rubberized  silk  and 
have  a  folding  wash  basin  of  rubber,  wash  cloth,  toilet 
soap,  and  face  towel. 

Fitted  Traveling  Bags 

Fitted  traveling  bags  also  have  either  pockets  or 
loops  attached  to  the  lining  for  holding  toilet  articles 
or  a  folding  easel  which  may  be  laid  flat  in  the  bag  or 
placed  in  an  upright  position  on  a  dressing  table. 

These  bags  contain  practically  the  same  articles  as 
the  toilet  cases.  Those  for  women  may  have  a  sewing 
box  in  addition.     (See  Figure  7.) 

Fitted  Suitcases 

Fitted  suitcases  have  the  fittings  arranged  along  the 
side,  in  the  cover  and  sometimes  at  the  ends  of  the 
case,  leaving  the  central  space  for  clothing. 

In  addition  to  the  regular  supply  of  articles  a  suit- 
case for  women  may  include  also  six  glass  bottles,  a 
glove  stretcher,  shoe  horn,  clock,  leather  jewel  case, 
and  sewing  box,  and  for  a  man  a  shoe  horn,  razor 


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FITTED  BAGS  AND  CASES 


III 


strop,  and  a  manicure  case  or  pad  containing  scissors, 
buttonhook,  and  nail  file. 

Luncheon  Cases 

Luncheon  and  tea  boxes  have  compartments  ar- 
ranged so  that  the  dishes  and  other  receptacles  for  food 
shall  be  packed  in  the  most  compact  and  convenient 
form. 

Luncheon  cases  are  fitted  with  napkins,  knives,  forks 
and  spoons,  a  can  opener,  cups,  plates,  pepper  and  salt 
shakers,  a  sandwich  box,  and  compartments  to  hold 
thermos  bottles.  The  bottles  do  not  usually  accom- 
pany the  case  but  may  be  added.  Glass  or  metal  jars 
for  butter  or  cream  may  be  added.  Luncheon  cases 
are  usually  covered  with  enamel  cloth. 

Picnic  and  Tea  Baskets 

Luncheon  baskets  are  made  of  wicker  with  a  water- 
proof lining. 

Tea  baskets  have  a  kettle  in  which  to  boil  water,  an 
alcohol  lamp,  a  tea  and  sugar  cannister,  cups,  spoons, 
a  cream  flask,  and  sometimes  a  sandwich  box  and 
plates.    They  usually  have  a  metal  lining. 


I' 


1 J 


' 


Chapter  XVI 

BRUSHES 

Necessary  Qualities 

The  brush  is  one  of  the  most  important  pieces  in- 
cluded in  the  fittings  of  a  bag  or  sold  separately  in  this 
department. 

In  selecting  or  judging  a  brush  it  is  essential  to  know 
the  kind  and  quality  of  the  material  in  the  bristle  and 
back,  and  also  how  the  brush  is  made.  This  deter- 
mines its  durability,  and,  to  some  extent,  its  suitabil- 
ity. 

Bristles 

The  bristles  used  for  brushes  are  either  animal 
bristle  or  hair,  or  vegetable  fiber. 

Bristles  of  the  best  quality  are  obtained  from  the 
Siberian  wild  hog,  and  the  second  grade,  from  the 
Chinese,  French,  or  American  hog.  The  vegetable 
fibers  are  obtained  from  palms  with  roots  resembling 
horse  hair,  or  from  broom  corn,  split  cane,  and  rushes. 
Shaving  brushes  are  made  of  badger  hair.  The  so- 
called  cameFs  hair  in  brushes  is  usually  squirrel's  hair 
or  fur. 

112 


BRUSHES 


"3 


\  s 


Hog  Bristles 

The  hog  bristles  are  imported  and  sold  by  the  potmd, 
boiled,  bleached,  and  dressed.  They  must  have  life 
and  elasticity,  toughness  and  in  some  cases,  fineness. 
They  should  be  dead  black  or  pure  white  according  to 
their  use.  Bristles  grown  in  cold  countries  are  the 
stiffest  and  most  durable. 

The  Russian  bristle  is  stiff  and  tapering,  sometimes 
7  inches  long,  either  black  or  white. 

The  Chinese  bristle  is  less  firm  and  durable,  about 
5%  inches  long. 

The  French  bristle  is  third  in  value. 

The  German  bristle  varies  from  short  to  6  inches 
long.     In  color  it  is  black,  brown,  and  white. 

The  American  bristle  is  short,  2  to  3  inches  long, 
but  it  is  fine  and  flexible.  It  is  the  cheapest  and  is 
used  for  mixing  with  other  bristles.  The  butt  end, 
the  end  nearest  the  skin,  is  thick  and  stiff  and  is  used 
for  the  finer  hair  brushes.  The  opposite  end,  known 
as  the  flag  end,  is  thin  and  more  flexible,  and  used  for 
paint  brushes. 

Fiber  Bristles 

Fiber  bristles  are  prepared  from  leaves  and  stalks 
which  have  been  allowed  to  rot.  The  harder  fibers 
are  bleached,  colored,  and  stiffened  by  shellac  or  var- 
nish.   These  are  used  for  imitation  bristles.    Moisture 


i 


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114 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


""'n- 


or  use  soon  takes  out  the  stiffening  and  resiliency  leav- 
ing them  limber  and  soft. 

Brushes  of  poor  quality  may  have  a  fringe  of  real 
bristles  arranged  about  a  center  of  fiber,  or  they  may 
be  a  mixture  of  high  grade  and  inferior  bristles,  as  in 
the  filled  badger  shaving  brush. 

There  are  three  simple  methods  of  determining 
whether  the  bristles  of  brushes  are  real  bristle  or  fiber 
bristle. 

1.  Press  the  finger  or  thumb  into  the  center  of  the 
brush  and  then  lift  it  quickly.  True  bristles  spring 
back  to  an  upright  position  immediately,  while  imita- 
tion straighten  more  slowly. 

2.  Pull  the  bristle  between  thumb  nail  and  fore- 
finger tightly  pressed.  If  a  bristle  it  will  curl  over  but 
if  a  fiber  will  drop  or  break  off. 

3.  Heat  the  bristle  or  touch  a  match  to  it.  If  it 
burns  like  hair  it  is  true  bristle,  but  if  like  paper  it  is 
fiber. 

Backs  of  Brushes 

The  backs  of  brushes  may  be  of  wood,  hard  rubber, 
celluloid,  amber,  tortoise  shell,  ivory,  leather,  silver, 
or  gold,  the  last  three  being  used  only  as  ornamental 
coverings  for  a  wooden  stock  or  foundation. 

Wood 
Among  the  varieties  of  wood  used  are  maple,  birch, 


BRUSHES 


IIS 


ebony,  rosewood,  mahogany,  satin,  teak,  or  boxwood. 
Of  these  maple,  satin  wood,  birch,  and  boxwood  are 
light  in  color;  rosewood  is  a  rich,  reddish-brown;  ma- 
hogany is  red,  though  often  stained  brown;  ebony  and 
teakwood  are  black. 

The  wood  for  brush  backs  should  be  light,  tough, 
and  durable,  with  a  dense  hard  grain  capable  of  taking 
a  good  polish.  Soft,  cheap  woods  are  often  stained 
to  imitate  the  more  valuable  ones,  but  they  are  apt  to 
split  and  soon  lose  their  color  and  finish. 

Hard  Rubber  or  Ebonite 

Hard  rubber  or  ebonite  is  crude  rubber  mixed  with 
sulphur  and  other  materials  and  vulcanized  in  molds. 
Vulcanization,  which  is  a  treatment  with  sulphur,  heat, 
and  pressure,  improves  the  quality  of  rubber  by  mak- 
ing it  less  soft  and  less  easily  affected  by  changes  of 
temperature.  For  hard  rubber  the  process  is  carried 
further  than  for  ordinary  rubber  articles,  making  it 
hard  and  capable  of  taking  a  high  polish.  Hard  rub- 
ber is  also  used  for  combs,  fountain  pen  barrels,  and 
many  other  articles. 

Celluloid 

In  the  fitting  of  bags  and  also  in  fancy  leather  goods 
novelties,  celluloid  plays  an  important  part.  Combs, 
backs  of  brushes,  equipment  of  desk  sets,  and  many 


'. 


ii6 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


other  varied  and  attractive  articles  are  made  of  this 
light  and  durable  material. 

Celluloid  is  made  of  vegetable  fiber  which  when 
treated  with  acids,  camphor,  and  other  substances  be- 
comes elastic  and  capable  of  being  molded.  It  takes 
color  effectively.  Aniline  dyes  are  either  mixed  with 
the  materials  in  the  pulp  state,  or  they  are  put  on  by 
brush  after  the  material  has  been  molded  in  sheets. 

Many  valuable  and  rare  materials,  such  as  ivory, 
horn,  tortoise  shell,  amber,  coral,  and  pearl  are  so  well 
imitated  in  celluloid  as  to  be  detected  from  the  real 
only  by  careful  examination. 

Imitation  ivory  or  French  ivory  is  made  from  a 
creamy  white  mixture  of  celluloid  partially  dried  in 
sheets.  By  arranging  these  sheets  in  special  order  and 
passing  heavy  calender  rolls  over  them,  the  grain  and 
knots  of  the  genuine  ivory  are  cleverly  imitated. 

Amber 

Amber  is  the  hard,  brittle,  lustrous  gum  of  certain 
pine  trees,  which  have  lain  buried  in  the  ground  for 
many  years. 

In  color  it  is  usually  yellow,  ranging  from  a  pale 
straw  tint  to  a  deep  orange  shade.  It  is  usually  trans- 
lucent, sometimes  transparent.  It  takes  a  high  luster 
and  polish  and  is  easily  worked.  When  heated  it  can 
be  molded. 


BRUSHES 
Amber  is  well  imitated  in  celluloid. 


117 


Tortoise  Shell 

Tortoise  shell  is  the  horny  scales  or  outer  shell  of 
a  certain  sea  turtle,  called  the  hawksbill. 

The  color  is  a  rich  brown  mottled  with  yellow.  The 
value  lies  in  the  color  rather  than  the  size,  though  both 
large  and  small  shells  are  sold  by  weight.  The  dear 
amber-colored  shell  is  the  most  valuable,  the  red-brown 
next,  and  the  dark  brown  least. 

Ivory 

Ivory  is  obtained  from  the  tusks  of  the  elephant. 
Its  beautiful  cream-white  color,  dense  texture,  and 
capability  of  taking  a  high  polish  make  it  very  desira- 
ble for  ornamental  articles.  It  darkens  with  age  tak- 
ing on  a  brownish-yellow  tone. 

Leather 

The  leather  for  brush  backs  may  be  a  thin  covering 
for  a  wooden  foundation,  or  a  thick  but  flexible  strip 
to  which  bristles  are  attached.  Patterns  are  often  em- 
bossed or  stamped  on  it. 

Silver  or  Gold 

Silver  or  gold  for  this  purpose  is  used  in  a  thin  shell 
which  forms  a  casing  over  the  wooden  foundation  or 


M 


ii8 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


Stock.     Sometimes  the  silver  for  sterling  silver  brushes 
is  so  thin  as  to  be  easily  broken. 

Manufacture  of  Brushes 

The  backs  of  brushes  may  be  either  solid  or  split. 
The  solid  backs  are  made  of  one  piece  while  the  split 
backs  have  a  top  piece  or  veneer  put  on  over  the  stock 
or  portion  which  holds  the  bristles.  The  solid  back 
is  made  of  heavier  wood  and  is  less  likely  to  split  or 
warp. 

There  are  three  ways  of  inserting  bristles  in  brushes, 
but  only  two  of  these  concern  the  brushes  of  this  de- 
partment : 

Compound  set 
Compound  drawn 

Compound  Set 

For  the  compound  set,  holes  are  drilled  in  the  stock, 
or  back.  The  thick  ends  of  the  bristles  are  dipped 
into  a  molten  cement,  bound  around  with  thread, 
dipped  again  and  set  into  the  hole  in  the  stock.  This 
makes  a  second-grade  brush.  Washing  and  use  loosen 
the  fibers. 

Compoimd  Drawn 

In  this  style  the  bristles  are  drawn  into  the  holes  by 
loops  of  wire  or  thread  which  double  the  bristles,  thus 


BRUSHES 


119 


forming  the  required  size  of  tuft.  The  tuft-ends  are 
cut  with  shears  to  the  necessary  length  and  form.  The 
back  is  covered  with  a  veneer  of  wood  or  other  ma- 
terial which  conceals  the  wire  as  well  as  any  crude 
work.  In  solid  back  brushes,  holes  are  drilled  from 
end  to  end  connecting  the  holes  for  the  bristles.     A 


Compound  Drawn  Compound  Set 

Figure  8.    Methods  of  Inserting  Bristles  in  Brushes 

wire  or  a  strong  waxed  linen  thread  is  drawn  through 
the  bristles  in  each  row  and  the  end  fastened  with  a 
plug.     (See  Figure  8.) 

A  good  quality  of  tooth,  shaving,  and  hair  brush  is 
made  by  having  the  bristles  set  in  molten  rubber  which 
upon  cooling  holds  them  firmly.  Hard  rubber  backs 
are  often  filled  in  this  way  securing  the  bristles  by 
cement  but  for  a  wooden  or  metallic  back  wiring  is 
preferable. 

Care  of  Brushes 

Brushes  should  be  cared  for  according  to  the  kind 


!      I 


i 


I20 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


ii'S 


of  materials  of  which  they  are  made  and  the  process 
by  which  they  are  made. 

Hot  water  softens  the  wood,  melts  the  cement,  and 
loosens  the  fibers  of  a  compound  set  brush.  Split  and 
solid  backs,  compound  drawn,  should  last  for  a  life- 
time, if  made  of  durable  wood  and  animal  bristles. 
Good  bristles  should  last  a  long  time  and  be  cleaned 
without  injury.  If  inferior  they  will  weaken,  break 
and  fall  out. 

Brushes  should  be  washed  in  luke  warm  water  with 
a  teaspoon ful  of  borax  and  two  or  three  of  ammonia 
to  a  quart.  They  should  then  be  rinsed  and  laid  in 
the  sun  to  bleach. 

Combs 

Combs  are  made  of  celluloid,  hard  rubber,  horn, 
ivory,  or  tortoise  shell  with  silver  and  gold  mountings. 
(See   combs   in  "Jewelry**  and  "Notions"  manuals.) 


, 


Chapter  XVII 

TRAVELING  ACCESSORIES  AND  AUTOMO- 
BILE SUPPLIES 

Traveling  Accessories 

Traveling  accessories  found  in  the  Leather  Depart- 
ment include  a  variety  of  articles  for  convenience  and 
comfort,  of  which  the  most  important  are: 

Traveling  sets 

Coat  hanger  sets 

Collar  boxes  and  pouches 

Shirt  cases 

Tie  hangers 

Traveling  slippers 

Rubber  pillows 

Hot  water  bottles 

Ice  bags 

Traveling  clocks  and  watch  cases 

First  aid  kits  and  medicine  cases 

Tool  kits 

Traveling  sets  for  women  may  comprise  either  an 
air  pillow  and  hot  water  bag  or  a  box  or  bag  of  toilet 
articles. 

121 


i    I 


122 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


% 


Traveling  sets  for  men  may  comprise  a  collar  bag, 
handkerchief  case,  tie  case,  a  toilet  case  or  manicure 
set,  a  shaving  case,  or  Pullman  bag. 

Coat  hanger  sets,  tie  hangers,  and  shirt  cases  are 
also  included  in  the  conveniences  for  men  while  sew- 
ing cases,  veil  cases,  and  pin  boxes  are  made  for 
women.  Traveling  slippers  and  watch  or  clock  cases 
are  used  by  both. 

There  are  many  varieties  of  small  sewing  cases  for 
traveling.     Some  of  these  are  fitted  very  completely. 

Watch  cases  for  traveling  are  so  made  that  the 
watch  is  well  protected  in  a  padded  box  while  not  in 
use  and  may  be  propped  up  in  the  case  so  that  the  face 
may  be  easily  seen.  The  dial  should  have  bold  figures 
to  be  seen  at  night. 

Materials 

The  characteristics  of  the  materials  used  for  these 
cases  are  their  softness  and  pliability.  They  are  made 
of: 

Thin  pigskin 

Glazed  calfskin 

Morocco 

Chamois,  goat 

Suede  and  glove  leather 

Rubberized  silk,  rubber 

Moire  silk  and  satin 

Sateen 


TRAVELING  ACCESSORIES 


123 


Many  of  the  articles  have  no  interlining  or  stiffen- 
ing, so  that  they  may  be  crushed  into  the  smallest  pos- 
sible space  in  a  bag  or  suitcase.  They  are  dainty  in 
form  and  material  but  most  of  them  are  without  deco- 
ration. The  rule  for  a  traveler's  equipment  is  ele- 
gance, simplicity,  and  good  materials;  but  it  should 
not  be  conspicuous  in  color  or  ornamentation. 

The  question  of  space  and  weight  which  must  al- 
ways be  considered  justify  the  thin  rubberized  silk  for 
pillows  and  water  bags,  and  the  soft  slippers  folded  in 
a  tiny  case.  For  this  reason  the  collapsible  or  shallow 
drinking  cup  is  better  than  the  drinking  glass  though 
the  latter  is  not  likely  to  collapse  at  the  wrong  time. 

Automobile  Supplies 

Automobile  supplies  include: 

Thermos  bottles  and  cases 

Cups  and  saucers 

Plates 

A  water  kettle 

Sandwich  and  cheese  boxes 

Napkins 

Bottles  and  flasks 

Drinking  cups 

A  rubber  wash  basin 

A  flash  light 

The  fittings  for  luncheon  cases  and  baskets  and  tea 


^r 


'I 

i 


I 


124 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


baskets  have  been  given  in  Chapter  XV  on  "  Fitted 
Bags  and  Cases." 

Thermos  Bottles 

Thermos  bottles  are  designed  to  keep  liquids  either 
hot  or  cold  for  many  hours. 

They  are  made  by  blowing  two  bottles  one  inside 
the  other,  pumping  the  air  out  of  the  space  between, 
to  make  a  vacuum  as  vacuums  do  not  transmit  heat  or 
cold,  and  then  sealing  the  two  bottles  together  at  the 
neck. 

The  outside  of  the  inner  and  the  inside  of  the  outer 
bottle  are  silvered  like  a  mirror  which  causes  any  heat 
waves  which  may  reach  the  bottle  to  be  reflected. 

Thermos  bottles  will  keep  cold  liquids  cold,  longer 
than  they  will  keep  hot  liquids  hot,  because  heat  escapes 
through  the  small  space  in  the  neck. 

Thermos  bottles  need  to  be  carefully  cleaned  after 
each  use,  or  they  become  unsanitary.  Milk  or  any 
liquid  containing  milk  or  cream  will  adhere  closely  to 
the  glass  surfaces.  Soup  and  beer  often  leave  a  pecu- 
liar odor,  while  plain,  unfiltered  water  in  time  will 
cause  a  deposit  on  the  glass.  Hot  soda  water,  made 
of  either  washing  or  baking  soda;  or  shot,  will  clean 
them  effectively.  Shot  is  likely  to  break  the  glass,  un- 
less used  with  care,  but  it  cleans  thoroughly. 

A  case  containing  one  or  two  thermos  bottles  and 


TRAVELING  ACCESSORIES 


125 


a  sandwich  box  with  a  nest  of  aluminum  or  paper  cups 
forms  the  most  satisfactory  picnic  equipment  for  the 
amount  of  space  used.  A  water  kettle,  wooden  or 
enamel  plates,  paper  napkins,  and  folding  knives,  forks, 
and  spoons  may  be  added  in  an  automobile  without 
consuming  much  more  space.  If  the  luncheon  case  or 
tea  basket  is  not  practicable  the  motor-rail  bag  may 
contain  all  of  the  smaller  articles. 

The  folding  rubber  wash  basin  and  towel  in  a  case 
is  often  found  most  necessary  in  a  country  trip  and 
the  flash  light  is  often  needed  for  special  service  on 
country  roads  at  night. 

A  tool  kit  is  supplied  with  necessary  small  tools 
such  as  a  hammer,  screw  driver,  knife,  can  opener,  and 
file.  Some  kits  are  fitted  for  automobile  needs  only, 
others  for  more  general  use. 


M 


Chapter  XVIII 

LIBRARY  EQUIPMENT 


Articles 


The  Leather  Department  contains  many  articles  for 
the  library  table  including : 

Desk  sets 

Stationery  cabinets 

Library  sets 

Desk  baskets 

Portfolios  and  writing  cases 

Recording  books  and  pads 

Pencil  cases 

Brief-cases  and  music  folios 

Picture  frames,  book  covers 

Bridge  sets  and  playing  card  cases 

Albums 

Scrap  books 

Desk  Sets 

A  complete  desk  set  comprises  a  desk  pad,  stationery 

rack,  inkstand,  calendar,  stamp  box,  blotter,  pen  tray, 

pen  brush,  paper  clip,  and  paper  knife.     Sometimes  the 

126 


LIBRARY  EQUIPMENT 


127 


pad  is  made  with  compartments  for  stationery  at  the 
back. 

Stationery  Cabinets 

Stationery  cabinets  have  several  compartments  for 
stationery  and  a  cover  which  protects  the  paper  from 
dust. 

Library  Sets 

A  library  set  comprises  a  paper  knife  and  long  pair 
of  shears  in  a  case. 

Desk  Baskets 

Desk  baskets  may  be  simple  open  baskets  lined  with 
leather  or  sateen  or  they  may  contain  a  letter  file  which 
can  be  fastened  down  and  locked.  Sometimes  they 
are  fitted  with  paper  cutters  and  shears.  They  may 
also  be  furnished  with  twine,  paste,  tags,  labels,  etc. 
Handy  boxes  have  a  similar  equipment. 

Portfolios 

Portfolios  and  writing  cases  may  be  found  in  great 
variety.  The  book  design  is  fitted  with  writing  pad, 
inkwell,  calendar,  paper  cutter,  stationery  and  stamp 
pockets.  Fountain  pens  are  now  so  generally  used 
that  a  loop  for  the  pen  is  sometimes  substituted  for 
the  inkwell. 


128 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


Recording  Books 

Recording  books  and  pads  include  telephone  regis- 
ters, guest  books,  engagement  books  and  pad,  and 
diaries. 

Brief-Cases  and  Music  Folios 

Brief-cases  and  music  folios  are  flat  leather  cases 
with  handle  straps  and  locks  to  hold  manuscripts, 
books,  or  music. 

Albums 

Photograph  albums  and  scrap  books  are  made  with 
extra  strips  at  the  back  to  allow  the  space  needed  for 
kodak  pictures,  clippings,  or  similar  inserts. 

Covers 

Book  and  magazine  covers  are  made  with  pockets 
into  which  the  paper  or  cloth  covers  of  the  periodical 
or  book  are  inserted. 

Materials 

The  leathers  for  sets,  cases,  and  boxes  are  usually 
the  lighter  leathers  such  as  Morocco,  Russia,  Cordovan, 
seal,  Levant,  calf,  and  pigskin  and  for  the  smaller 
articles,  sheepskin,  chamois,  vellum,  lizard,  and  snake. 

Decoration 

This  is  the  division  of  the  Leather  Goods  Depart- 


LIBRARY  EQUIPMENT 


129 


ment  which  is  marked  by  the  beautiful  colors,  finish, 
and  decoration  of  the  articles  although  the  same  pro- 
cesses are  used  in  some  of  the  other  divisions. 

In  the  larger  pieces  the  grain  itself  is  the  most  ef- 
fective kind  of  decoration,  heightened  by  the  soft  rich 
colors  and  handsome  finishes  to  which  leather  of  good 
quality  lends  itself.  Where  decoration  other  than  this 
is  given  it  may  be  by  one  or  more  methods. 

Tooling 

Tooling  may  be  done  in  one  of  the  following  ways. 

1.  Incising,  The  outlines  of  design  are  made  by  an 
incising  knife  and  then  opened  by  an  opener,  making 
a  flat  decoration  sometimes  called  engraved  or  cut 
leather.  In  carving  the  design  is  cut  much  deeper 
than  in  incising  leaving  a  design  which  stands  out  in 
sufficient  relief  to  be  further  ornamented.  A  thick 
firm  leather  is  necessary  for  carving.  Russian  kid  or 
calf  is  often  selected.  In  fancy  leathers  a  pleasing 
eflFect  is  gained  by  introducing  color  and  a  back- 
ground of  punching. 

2.  Embossing.  Leather  may  be  embossed  by  hand 
the  design  being  outlined  on  the  back  and  worked  into 
relief  by  the  pressure  of  hand  tools.  It  may  also  be 
embossed  by  stamping  machines  whose  action  is  similar 
to  those  which  produce  an  artificial  grain.  The  design 
is  usually  finished  on  the  right  side  with  modeling 


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tools  in  order  to  make  it  more  effective  and  padding  of 
wax  cotton  or  leatherette  is  sometimes  inserted.  (See 
Frontispiece. ) 

3.  Hammering  or  Punching,  This  is  usually  used 
for  backgrounds  and  is  done  by  steel  punches  of  differ- 
ent patterns  to  add  richness  and  finish. 

4.  Stamping,  The  design  is  sunk  into  the  damp- 
ened leather  by  an  incised  steel  die  held  in  a  press. 
Stamped  leather  may  be  finished  by  hand  to  look  like 

tooled  leather. 

5.  Burning,  The  design  is  made  by  a  platinum 
pointed  tool,  an  alcohol  lamp,  and  benzene.  This 
method  of  decoration  is  most  effective  on  soft-finished 
leather  and  also  on  wood,  paper,  and  ivory. 

Staining 

In  staining,  the  leather  must  be  kept  damp  enough 
for  the  dye  to  penetrate  but  not  so  wet  that  the  dye 
will  run.  A  weak  solution  of  the  color  is  applied  with 
a  camel's  hair  or  sable  brush.  Several  coats  are  given 
until  the  color  has  penetrated  the  goods  thoroughly. 
If  the  background  is  being  stained  in  large  surfaces 
a  sponge  or  piece  of  cotton  wool  may  be  used.  Lastly, 
the  entire  surface  should  be  given  a  pale  wash  of  the 
background  color  so  as  to  give  harmonious  effect.  Un- 
usual effects  of  stained  leather  are  obtained  by : 

Sprinkling,  which  puts  color  on  in  light  flecks. 


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Marbling,  which  "  dabs  "  the  color  on  in  larger 

spots  giving  a  marbled  effect. 
Shading,   produced   by   a   circular  motion   of   a 

sponge  filled  with  the  color. 

Stenciling 

Stencils  may  be  used  with  good  effect  on  leather 
goods.  The  color  for  stenciling  is  usually  a  paste 
containing  a  dye  applied  through  a  pattern  made  of 
stiff  oiled  paper  or  metal  in  which  the  design  has  been 
cut. 

Gilding  and  Bronzing 

This  is  done  by  applying  gold  or  bronze  powder  dis- 
solved in  turpentine  or  varnish  to  make  the  powder 
stick.  For  gilding  with  hot  tools  a  specially  prepared 
powder  of  resin  or  gum  is  used.  This  is  melted  by 
the  heat  of  the  tool  which  causes  the  gold  leaf  to  ad- 
here to  the  leather  only  where  the  tool  presses  it.  The 
surplus  gold  is  removed  by  a  soft  brush.  Gold  is  also 
applied  with  a  slightly  dampened  brush  and  bur- 
nished with  an  agate  or  punch.  The  design  of  the 
punch  stands  out  in  bright  gold  on  a  background  of 
dull  gold. 

Color 

Color  is  much  used  in  leather  novelties.  It  is  in- 
troduced by  either  dyeing  or  staining  and  beautiful 


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LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


shaded  effects  may  be  produced.^  India  ink  is  used 
sometimes  for  the  lighter  free-hand  work  and  some- 
times even  for  a  background  stain.  Oil  paints  are  also 
used  for  decorating  leather  but  are  not  so  suitable  as 
staining  as  the  latter  method  shows  more  of  the  natural 
grain.  A  veneer  or  wash  of  color  is  often  applied  by 
the  French  to  intensify  the  tone  of  the  color  or  to 
give  the  effect  of  antiquity.  Colors  cannot  be  expected 
to  remain  unaffected  by  the  direct  sunlight  and  hard 
wear,  but  if  the  dye  is  of  good  quality  and  well  applied 
they  should  remain  reasonably  fast.  Too  great  a 
variety  of  colors  is  confusing  and  suitable  only  for 
geometrical  designs  worked  out  in  oriental  colors. 
The  foliage  of  autumn  leaves  suggests  both  good  design 
and  color  for  leather  goods. 

Designs 

Natural  designs  are  not  so  appropriate  for  tooling 
as  the  conventional  or  geometrical  forms,  first  because 
leather  is  a  rather  unyielding  material  and  second  be- 

1  Some  of  the  colors  used  in  artistic  hand  leather  work  are: 

Black  —  a    wash    of    sulphate    of    iron    over   another    potash. 

White  —  painted    on    as    an    enamel. 

Brown  —  washes    of    potash. 

Gray  —  permanganate    of    potash. 

Blue  —  indigo    or   alizarin   from   madder. 

Green  —  alternative    washes    of    blue    and    yellow  —  for    olive-green 

successive    washes   of   sulphate   of   iron   and   picric   yellow. 
Red  —  alizarin,    logwood,    cochineal. 
Yellow  —  picric  acids. 
O^-ange  —  red     over    yellow. 
Pink  —  carthamine. 


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cause  leather  articles  are  expected  to  withstand  hard 
usage.  In  modeled  work  bold  but  not  too  elaborate 
or  detailed  designs  are  most  suitable.  Embossing  in 
low  relief  and  with  flowing  lines  makes  the  decoration 
seem  a  part  of  the  leather,  suggesting  rather  than  forc- 
ing the  design  upon  the  attention.  (See  Figure  i 
for  illustrations  of  these  types  of  designs.) 

Methods  Used  for  Different  Leathers 

For  leather  work  good  and  suitable  skins  should  be 
selected  and  the  design  chosen  with  regard  to  the  kind 
of  leather  and  the  use  for  which  the  article  is  de- 
signed. The  leather  should  be  fine  and  supple  in  tex- 
ture and  the  surface  free  from  blemishes.  It  should 
be  evenly  tanned  and  of  sufficient  thickness  to  retain 
the  modeling.  If  for  colored  leathers  it  should  be 
leather  whose  method  of  tannage  permits  it  to  take 
the  colors  evenly  and  clearly.  Skins  for  leather  novel- 
ties should  be  ordered  from  firms  which  make  a 
specialty  of  decorative  leathers. 

Russian  calf,  ooze  calf,  and  split  cowhide  are  suit- 
able for  modeling  as  they  are  durable  and  have  a 
smooth  surface.  They  are  used  for  bill  books,  library 
set  cases,  wrist  guards,  watch  fobs,  purses,  and  belts. 

Morocco  and  Russian  leather  are  much  used  for 
fine  book  work  as  they  are  both  durable  and  effective 
in  finish.     Sheepskin  is  a  cheap  leather  suitable  for 


\'^\ 


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penwipers,  stamp  books,  memo  pads,  blotter  corners 
and  suede  leather  goods.  It  cannot  be  tooled  in  per- 
manent form  as  it  lacks  firmness.  Art  sheepskins  come 
in  a  variety  of  color,  browns,  grays,  and  greens. 

Chamois  is  suitable  only  for  flat  ornament  in  burn- 
ing or  stencil.  Used  in  its  natural  color  it  makes  an 
artistic  background  for  an  open  work  pattern  of  leather 
of  another  color.  This  is  called  applique  or  Mosaic 
work. 

Vellum  is  a  fine,  thin,  and  stiff  white  skin  used  par- 
ticularly for  brush  or  pen  work  and  for  book  bind- 
ings.    It  is  often  decorated  in  miniatures,  in  color. 

Pigskin  is  firm  but  too  thin  for  carving.  It  is  ex- 
cellent for  stamped  work  and  also  for  burning  because 
of  the  contrast  between  its  light  tint  and  the  dark 
brown  of  the  design.  Its  natural  grain  makes  a  highly 
effective  background. 

Tools 

The  tools  used  in  decorating  leather  are  very  few. 
The  most  important  are  a  slab  of  marble,  glass,  or  slate 
on  which  the  work  is  done,  a  tracer  to  pick  out  pat- 
terns, stamps  or  dies  with  which  to  make  the  back- 
ground, cutting  or  incising  knives,  a  hammer  and 
opener,  a  triangle  and  foot  rule  for  making  designs, 
and  brushes  and  sponges  for  coloring. 

The  design  is  made  on  paper  and  transferred  to  the 


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leather.  The  leather  is  kept  dampened  while  being 
worked  on,  whether  the  design  is  to  be  brought  out  by 
tooling  or  by  coloring. 

History  of  Leather  Decoration 

The  art  of  decorating  leather  is  of  very  ancient 
origin.  The  Crusaders  ornamented  leather  with  wool, 
silk,  and  precious  metals.  Europe  learned  the  art  of 
working  in  leather  from  the  Moors  of  Spain.  Cor- 
dova, Spain,  excelled  in  decorative  leather  work. 
Venice  imported  modeled  and  stamped  leathers  from 
the  Orient.  In  the  court  of  Burgundy,  France,  mar- 
vels of  carved  and  embossed  leather  were  executed, 
now  shown  in  the  Dijon  and  other  museums. 

Decorated  leather  was  considered  the  ideal  material 
for  the  mantles  and  plumed  helmets  of  heraldry. 

In  the  Middle  Ages  fine  leathers  designed  by  the 
monks  as  coverings  for  the  beautiful  manuscripts  they 
wrote,  were  adorned  with  enamels  and  gold.  Heraldic 
subjects  in  carved  and  modeled  leather  were  intro- 
duced as  a  type  of  decoration. 

The  invention  of  printing  called  for  the  more  gen- 
eral and  cheaper  use  of  leather  for  bookbinding. 
Leather  sometimes  decorated  in  mosaic  or  tooled  in 
gold  formed  a  perfect  covering  for  books. 

Modern  Centers  of  the  Industry 
Leather  decorations  in  modern  manufacturing  cen- 


^tf 


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LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


ters  must  be  done  on  a  larger  scale  and  so  less  artisti- 
cally and  more  mechanically,  especially  if  machine 
work  as  much  of  it  is.  Designs  are  stamped  on  the 
leather  by  dies  of  various  kinds.  They  are  not  even 
modeled  by  hand  tools  in  the  less  expensive  goods. 
Designs  in  color  may  be  applied  by  means  of  printed 
transfer  paper  as  in  the  decoration  of  china.  On  this 
paper  the  design  has  been  copied  in  dye  colors.  Ap- 
plied to  dampened  leather  and  allowed  to  stand  for  a 
short  time,  the  design  in  color  is  transferred  from  the 
paper  to  the  leather,  rubbed  over  with  a  suitable  var- 
nish, and  dried.  Fancy  leather  pieces  may  in  this  way 
be  attractively  decorated  in  large  quantities  and  at 
small  expense. 

Germany,  France,  England,  and  the  United  States 
all  have  large  fancy  leather  goods  establishments,  this 
being  now  a  highly  specialized  branch  of  the  leather  in- 
dustry. 

Offenbach-am-Main  is  one  of  Germany's  most  im- 
portant fancy  leather  goods  centers.  It  is  said  to  be 
the  largest  source  of  manufacture  in  the  world  for 
articles  of  this  class.  It  has  a  school  for  fancy  leather 
working  acknowledged  to  be  the  best  in  Germany.  This 
school  produces  not  only  expert  leather  workers  but 
also  experts  in  artistic  and  novel  conceptions  in  design- 
ing and  decorating.  The  course  contains  theoretical 
and  practical  instruction  in  the  raw  materials,  produc- 


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tion  of  leather  and  fabrics,  cutting  out,  and  making 
up.  It  encourages  originality  in  the  art  of  fancy 
leather  making.  Here  are  located  all  the  necessary 
materials,  the  tanneries,  leather  dressing  factories, 
makers  of  bag  frames  and  fittings,  vanity  and  toilet 
requisites,  as  well  as  the  silks  and  other  fabrics  es- 
sential to  the  trade.  The  workmen  are  highly  special- 
ized. 


Chapter  XIX 

HISTORY  AND  SOURCES  OF  LEATHER 

Antiquity  of  Leather 

"  Leather  is  as  old  as  trade  "  is  one  of  the  proverbs 
of  commerce.  It  was  known  in  the  time  of  Moses 
when  leather  carpets  were  used  as  tents. 

An  Egyptian  collection  contains  leather  sandals  and 
shoes  with  round  toes,  ankle,  and  fore  straps  for  chil- 
dren, and  also  shoes  of  a  stouter  make  for  men.  Bot- 
tles of  skin  were  used  for  wine  and  oil  even  as  they 
are  today  in  the  Orient. 

The  Romans  used  leather  which  they  tanned  with 
oil,  alum,  and  bark.  Near  the  beginning  of  the  present 
era  a  crude  form  of  tannage  with  bark  and  gall  nuts 
was  known.  The  Turks,  Russians,  and  Hungarians 
in  the  early  Christian  centuries  were  celebrated  tan- 
ners, and  were  later  copied  by  the  English,  Dutch,  and 
Spanish.  About  1300  a.  d.  embossed  leather  was  man- 
ufactured in  the  form  of  tapestry  richly  colored  and 
gilded,  an  art  received  from  the  Egyptians  who  were 
clever  workers  in  leather. 

The  Hungarians  are  said  to  have  brought  the  art  of 

238 


HISTORY  AND  SOURCES  OF  LEATHER      139 

dressing  leather  from  Senegal  in  Africa,  and  to  have 
made  excellent  leather  before  the  middle  of  the  six- 
teenth century.  Two  German  tanners  introduced  their 
method  into  France.  From  this  time  the  industry 
spread  over  other  countries  quite  rapidly  as  its  useful 
and  beautiful  products  satisfied  a  growing  demand. 

Simplicity  of  Primitive  Methods  of  Tanning 

The  primitive  uses  of  leather  did  not  require  a  gen- 
uine process  of  tanning.  In  most  cases  the  skins  of 
animals  were  probably  only  cleansed  and  dried  in  the 
sun  or  smoke  cured  and  externally  greased,  and  so  in 
reality  they  were  not  genuine  leather.  Early  settlers  in 
America  found  the  Indians  wearing  skins  prepared 
with  oil  and  clay. 

The  principles  of  leather  dressing  or  tanning  which 
were  worked  out  by  the  Egyptians,  Romans,  and  other 
civilized  nations  govern  the  processes  in  use  today,  but 
the  invention  of  machinery  and  the  study  of  chemistry 
have  greatly  reduced  the  time  and  labor  necessary. 

Beginning  of  Modern  Methods 

The  use  of  lime  to  remove  hair  from  the  skins  was 
introduced  by  English  tanners  in  1790  and  marks  the 
beginning  of  modern  methods  of  tanning.  Even  after 
the  discovery  of  the  more  modern  methods,  however, 
they  were  but  slowly  adopted  by  the  practical  tan- 


140 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


ners.  To  quote  an  eminent  English  authority :  "  Up 
to  about  70  years  ago  the  tanners  were  men  of  small 
means,  diffused  throughout  the  country,  unaided  by 
railway  communications  and  the  advantages  of  ma- 
chinery, and  utterly  free  from  any  knowledge  of 
chemical  principles.  As  a  contrast  to  this  condition  of 
the  trade,  we  have  now  an  accumulation  of  extensive 
tanneries,  many  of  which  are  situated  near  the  great 
ports  where  the  raw  materials  are  landed  from  abroad ; 
the  capital  invested  runs  into  several  millions.  In 
some  of  these  tanneries  the  principles  of  the  art  are 
not  only  understood  but  closely  followed,  while  the 
advantages  of  labor-saving  machinery  have  been  rec- 
ognized and  mechanical  appliances  adopted  which  the 
tanner  of  old  would  have  looked  at  but  to  condemn." 

Development  of  the  Industry  in  the  United  States 

It  is  interesting  to  know  that  the  first  tannery  in  the 
United  States  was  situated  in  Virginia  as  early  as 
1690.  Soon  after  this,  one  was  established  in  Lynn, 
Massachusetts,  followed  by  many  others  scattered 
about  in  rural  hamlets  and  mountain  valleys  of  the 
Appalachian  region  which  was  rich  in  the  bark  tanning 
materials.  The  development  of  early  tanneries  in  the 
United  States  naturally  followed  the  bark  tanning 
belts,  one  extending  from  New  York  to  Georgia,  and 
the  other  following  the  hemlock  region  from  Massa- 


HISTORY  AND  SOURCES  OF  LEATHER      141 

chusetts   to   Wisconsin,   both  of   which  are   leading 
leather  states. 

Sources  of  the  Raw  Material 

The  skins  of  wild  animals  furnished  the  leather  in 
earlier  times,  but  today  it  comes  almost  altogether  from 
domesticated  animals,  particularly  the  ox  and  sheep. 
The  Chicago  stock  yards  where  American  packers  salt 
their  hides  is  the  largest  green-salted  hide  market  in 
the  world,  the  animals  coming  from  the  large  western 
stock  ranches. 

The  United  States  not  only  raises  large  quantities  of 
its  leather  producing  animals  but  also  leads  all  other 
countries  in  the  manufacture  of  leather.  It  imports 
from  South  America,  Mexico,  China,  India,  Italy, 
Turkey,  and  other  countries  hides  and  skins  amount- 
ing in  value  to  nearly  $100,000,000  annually  —  one  of 
the  largest  items  of  our  foreign  trade.  Of  goatskins 
alone  we  import  over  a  himdred  million  a  year. 

In  tanning  materials  we  are  the  richest  country  in 
the  world  and  on  account  of  their  scarcity  in  England, 
Germany,  and  France,  we  get  many  skins  and  hides 
from  these  manufacturing  countries. 

The  United  States  manufactures  over  $300,000,000 
worth  of  leather  annually,  much  of  which  it  exports. 
50,000  people  are  employed  in  this  industry.  Accord- 
ing to  the  census  of  1909  Pennsylvania  leads  in  the 


i 


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142 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


tanning,  and  is  followed  by  Wisconsin  and  Massachu- 
setts. New  York  leads  in  the  finishing  of  leather,  and 
is  followed  by  Illinois  and  Missouri  in  the  manufacture 
of  leather  goods  other  than  shoes. 

Philadelphia  is  the  greatest  leather  manufacturing 
center  in  the  world.  Its  chrome  tannage  methods  do 
not  depend  upon  forest  districts  and  products,  and 
its  transportation  facilities  make  it  possible  to  import 
raw  materials  at  reasonable  expense.  It  uses  many 
imported  goatskins  for  specialties  such  as  patent  and 
enameled  leathers  and  vici  kid.  Skilled  labor  and  near- 
ness to  markets  also  account  for  this  city's  position 
among  leather  manufacturing  centers. 

The  Leather  Industry  in  Other  Countries 

South  America,  with  its  extensive  plains,  furnishes 
large  quantities  of  "  wet  salted  "  and  **  dry  "  hides  to 
the  United  States  and  other  countries  that  manufacture 
good  leather.  Most  hides  for  Cordovan  leather  are 
taken  from  horses  of  South  America.  There  is  prac- 
tically no  preparation  of  leather  or  manufacture  of 
leather  goods. 

Australia  is  a  great  hide  producing  country,  the 
squatters,  dairy,  and  other  farmers  being  the  promoters 
of  the  industry.  Immense  runs  of  thousands  of  acres 
in  extent  provide  not  only  leather,  but  the  vast  amounts 
of  beef  and  chilled  meats  which  are  exported  from 


HISTORY  AND  SOURCES  OF  LEATHER      143 

Sidney,  Melbourne,  and  other  centers  of  Australian 
commerce.  Both  cattle  and  sheep  hides  are  exported 
from  Australia  in  large  numbers,  the  latter  usually  in 
the  pickled  state.  The  kangaroo,  which  has  a  valuable 
hide  for  shoe  and  book-binding  and  fancy  leathers,  is 
found  only  in  Australia.  Australia  exports  most  of 
her  hides  to  England  and  Germany  for  manufacture. 

France  is  very  largely  engaged  in  the  fine  leather  and 
leather  goods  industry.  She  raises  cattle,  horses, 
sheep,  goats,  and  pigs,  and  also  imports  many  more 
to  meet  her  demands.  Her  forests  provide  tanning 
materials.  Patent  and  lacquered  leathers,  kid,  Mo- 
rocco, glace  calf,  and  various  tawed  and  chamoyed 
leathers  for  gloves  are  among  her  products.  Her 
chief  leather  manufacturing  districts  are  Paris,  Nancy, 
Toulouse,  Lynn,  Bordeaux,  and  others.  In  southeast- 
ern France  are  the  world's  most  famous  glove  leather 
districts. 

Germany  leads  the  world  in  the  output  of  fine  leath- 
ers, manufacturing  in  particular  large  quantities  of 
finished  goatskins.  Tanning  is  done  in  all  parts  of 
the  country. 

Austria  manufactures  all  kinds  and  qualities  of 
goods.  Hungary  exports  lower  class  leathers  and 
good  quality  tawed  sheep  and  goat.  She  imports  her 
better  qualities. 

Southern  Russia  produces  large  supplies  of  green 


f  wf* 


144 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


hides  of  horses,  oxen,  cows,  and  calves.  The  chief 
supply  of  pony  skins  comes  from  this  country.  These 
skins  are  all  flint  dried.  The  animals  from  which  they 
are  taken  are  usually  from  14  days  to  2  months  old. 
The  peasants  eat  the  meat  of  the  animals  and  use  the 
milk.  The  skins  are  sold  at  the  famous  Nigni-Nov- 
gorod  fair,  276  miles  from  Moscow,  and  shipped  in 
bundles  of  150.  Russian  colt  is  taken  from  animals 
from  one  to  three  years  old  and  sold  in  bales  of  40 
skins  each.  The  colts  are  herded  and  raised  in  the 
same  way  as  cows  or  sheep.  The  fronts  of  Rus- 
sian horsehides  are  sent  to  America,  there  being  no 
demand  there  for  Cordovan  leather.  The  butts  go  to 
German  and  Polish  tanners. 

Belgium  has  a  large  trade  in  raw  hides  and  glove 
leathers. 

Danish  calfskins  are  among  the  best  produced  in 
the  world.  They  are  good,  plump  skins  with  a  fine 
grain. 

In  Italy  the  modem  tanning  district  is  Turin  where 
the  best  leathers  are  produced ;  among  them  sole,  waxed 
calf,  box  calf,  patent,  and  glove  leather.  The  methods 
employed  are  both  the  vegetable  and  rapid  mineral  tan- 
nage. 

Mexico  produces  desirable  cattle  hides  which  are  free 
from  disease.  The  cattle  are  smaller  than  those  of 
the  United  States,  but  they  have  a  tough  hide  suitable 


HISTORY  AND  SOURCES  OF  LEATHER      145 

for   sole-leather.     The   Texan   steers   and  cows   are 
similar  in  this  respect. 

China  produces  a  dry  and  wet  salted  hide  similar  in 
quality  to  South  American  hides.  Horse  hides  are  ex- 
.ported  for  Cordovan  leather. 


HI 


Chapter  XX 

SUGGESTIONS  TO  SALESPEOPLE 

Arrangement  and  Display 

There  is  good  opportunity  for  arranging  an  effec- 
tive and  artistic  display  of  leather  goods,  because  of 
the  beauty  of  the  material  and  the  attractive  variety 
of  individual  articles. 

A  confusion  of  articles  should  be  avoided.  Suit- 
cases and  traveling  bags  are  displayed  to  best  advantage 
where  there  is  sufficient  space  to  arrange  them  in  sym- 
metrical lines  or  in  small  groups. 

Hand-bags  which  represent  so  many  different  styles 
and  colors  should  be  displayed  with  thought  in  regard 
to  harmony  of  line,  and  color,  whether  hanging  on 
stands  or  placed  on  shelves  or  on  the  top  of  the  show 
case.  A  pad  of  rich  purple  moire  silk  or  of  gray 
velvet  adds  effect  in  the  display  of  smaller  articles  ar- 
ranged on  them. 

Fancy  leather  goods  should  be  arranged  in  groups 

suggestive  of  their  use.     One  article  will  in  this  way 

lead  to  the  sale  of  another.     Much  taste  and  originality 

is  necessary  to  arrange  leather  novelties  in  attractive 

and  pleasing  display. 

146 


i 


SUGGESTIONS  tO  SALESPEOPLE 


147 


Any  display,  however  well  arranged,  loses  its  effect 
unless  the  stock  is  well  dusted  and  clean  in  appearance. 
The  beauty  of  leather  is  its  "  life,"  fine  grain,  or  finish, 
and  clear  color  undimmed  by  dust  or  tarnished  trim- 
mings. 

Material 

The  salesperson  who  understands  the  preparation  of 
leather  for  its  various  purposes  can  talk  inteUigently 
and  convincingly  about  the  different  kinds  and  qualities 
of  leather  and  their  suitability  for  the  customer's  use. 
Leathers  for  suitcases  and  traveling  bags  must  nat- 
urally be  of  stronger  quality  than  those  for  hand-bags 
or  novelties  whose  wearing  qualities  are  much  less  sev- 
erely tested.  Appropriateness  of  material  should  be 
considered,  as  the  selection  of  a  heavy  walrus  for  a 
large  bag  and  a  pin  seal  for  the  smaller  hand-bag. 

A  knowledge  of  the  comparative  wearing  qualities 
of  the  textiles  used  for  linings,  or  of  a  textile  lining 
as  compared  with  a  leather  lining  for  durability,  makes 
a  good  point. 

A  sheepskin  or  some  similar  light  leather  if  of  good 
quality  makes  an  excellent  lining  as  does  also  a  natural 
color  linen.  Heavy  cotton  canvas  or  twilled  goods 
wear  well  but  of  course  look  less  expensive.  Silk  lin- 
ings, unless  of  pure  silk  and  of  heavy  weave,  are  apt 
to  show  wear  very  soon. 


M 


1 


K! 


't      , 


148 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


Colored  leathers  will  fade  under  certain  conditions. 
The  salesperson  acquainted  with  leather  as  a  material 
can  explain  satisfactorily  that  it  is  no  fault  of  the 
leather  but  the  natural  result. 

Manufacture 

A  knowledge  of  how  the  suitcase  or  bag  is  made  en- 
ables the  salesperson  to  satisfy  the  customer  as  to 
the  durability  and  suitability  of  the  article  to  be  selected. 
Hand-sewed  bags  stand  the  strain  of  wear  better  and 
also  have  a  more  finished  appearance  than  the  machine- 
sewed.  The  material  of  the  frame  determines  to  a 
large  extent  the  weight  of  the  article  and  its  endurance 
of  strain.  The  riveting  of  the  frames,  the  working  of 
the  safety  clasp  and  hinges,  and  the  reinforcement  of 
corners  are  all  points  of  interest  to  the  customer.  In 
hand-bags  the  various  mounts,  nickel,  German  silver, 
and  gun-metal  all  have  their  individual  desirable  quali- 
ties. 

Acquaintance  with  the  construction  of  bags  also  en- 
ables the  salesperson  to  suggest  methods  of  repair,  or 
at  least  she  may  suggest  to  the  customer  what  the  man- 
ufacturer can  and  will  do  to  repair.  This  is  a  service 
which  will  bring  back  many  a  customer. 

Points  Desired  in  a  Traveling  Bag 

Any  customer  looking  at  traveling  bags  will  wish 
to  see : 


SUGGESTIONS  TO  SALESPEOPLE 


149 


1.  That  it  opens  wide  and  stays  open  when  desired. 

2.  That  it  keeps  its  shape  by  having  wide  gussets. 

3.  That  the  clasp  opens  and  closes  easily  and  will 

not  burst  open. 

4.  That  it  has  good  leather,  a  good  lining,  and  is 

well-made  in  order  that  it  wear  well. 

5.  That  it  has  good  inside  pockets. 

6.  That  it  is  suitable  for  its  use. 

The  advantages  of  initials  on  a  bag  are  that  the  bag 
cannot  so  easily  be  exchanged  or  lost  and  they  are 
sometimes  considered  a  decoration. 

Suitability 

The  salesperson  is  often  asked  to  suggest  a  style, 
color,  or  finish  in  leather  goods  to  be  selected  for  some 
special  occasion  or  purpose.  The  question  of  what 
kind  of  leather,  cowhide  or  walrus,  is  most  suitable 
for  a  traveling  bag,  and  what  variety  of  hand-bag  har- 
monizes with  a  certain  color  or  style  of  a  costume,  are 
of  course  matters  of  one's  own  choice,  but  the  sales- 
person's judgment,  if  good,  is  often  relied  upon. 
The  selection  of  gifts  is  also  often  made  according  to 
his  advice.  To  be  able  to  assist  the  customer  in  this 
way  requires  a  familiarity  with  the  prevailing  styles, 
not  only  in  leather  goods,  but  in  gowns,  shoes,  and 
gloves,  and  also  a  general  knowledge  of  what  is  ap- 
propriate in  bags  and  leather  novelties. 


ISO 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


Much  taste  may  be  displayed  in  suggesting  appro- 
priate trimmings,  as  gun-metal  for  mourning  bags  or 
cut  steel  beads  for  bags  to  be  used  on  semi-informal 
occasions.  The  suitability  of  a  fitted  bag  may  often 
be  emphasized  by  calling  attention  to  its  fittings  and 
their  several  uses.  The  fittings  of  one  may  make  it 
unsuitable  for  the  purpose,  while  those  of  another  make 
it  suitable. 

Suggestions  as  to  Care 

The  salesperson  should  know  how  to  care  for  leather, 
not  only  to  keep  it  in  good  condition  and  appearance 
while  on  sale,  but  to  suggest  to  the  customer  how  to  do 
so  after  its  purchase.  The  leather  manufacturer 
knows  that  bags  should  be  oiled  from  time  to  time  to 
restore  to  the  leather  the  dressing  materials  removed 
by  the  air  and  wear.  He  also  knows  that  repeated 
wettings  tend  to  make  the  leather  stiff  and  less  water- 
resistant  and  that  even  the  heat  of  the  sun  in  summer 
has  a  drying  effect  on  the  leather  of  bags  and  suit- 
cases. If  a  cowhide  bag  has  been  scratched,  he  re- 
stores its  appearance  by  redyeing  it,  or  an  alligator  bag 
may  be  improved  by  revarnishing.  A  knowledge  of 
how  leather  should  be  cared  for  enables  the  salesperson 
to  make  such  suggestions  to  the  customer.  The  nec- 
essity of  oiling,  and  of  drying  properly  then  become 


SUGGESTIONS  TO  SALESPEOPLE 


151 


evident.     The  principles  upon  which  such  suggestions 
and  others  are  based  are  as  follows. 

Effect  of  Water 

Though  well-prepared  leather  is  water-resistant,  re- 
peated wettings  injure  it,  particularly  if  it  is  dried 
rapidly  and  by  artificial  heat.  The  oiling  of  leather 
keeps  it  water-resistant  and  restores  the  life  taken  out 
by  moisture  and  drying. 

Effect  of  Heat 

Leather  though  tanned  is  still  animal  tissue,  and  as 
such  is  particularly  sensitive  to  heat  and  other  agencies 
detrimental  to  living  matter.  This  is  evident  from  the 
various  instances  in  the  preparation  of  the  skin,  such 
as  drying  the  pelts,  tanning  and  dressing,  and  drying 
the  dressed  skins,  when  the  application  of  heat  above 
a  certain  degree  of  temperature  is  made  most  carefully 
lest  it  render  the  skin  inferior  if  not  injuring  it  be- 
yond remedy.  Leather  bums  very  quickly,  especially 
when  wet,  and  should  never  be  placed  near  the  fire. 
A  temperature  that  the  hand  can  bear,  120°  F,  is  the 
hottest  that  can  be  safely  applied. 

Uneven  or  too  rapid  drying  causes  leather  to  curl 
up  and  become  brittle  in  spots.  The  tanner  takes  a 
week  to  dry  a  single  thickness  and  always  prefers  a 
slow,  natural  heat  to  a  rapid  artificial  heat.     For  this 


152 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


reason  it  is  obvious  that  leather  goods  should  dry 
slowly  and  evenly  in  a  current  of  natural  air. 

Chrome-tanned  leather  will  stand  a  good  deal  of  heat 
and  will  dry  soft,  but  it  cracks  under  old-fashioned 
shoe  blackings. 

Effect  of  Oil 

The  oiling  of  leather  is  one  of  the  most  important 
processes  in  its  preparation.  It  softens,  feeds  and  pre- 
serves the  leather  as  well  as  increases  its  water-resistant 
properties.  Naturally  wear  tends  to  eliminate  much 
of  this  oil  from  the  leather  so  that  it  should  be  judici- 
ously replaced  from  time  to  time.  In  the  dressing  of 
the  leather  many  oils  are  used,  animal,  vegetable,  and 
mineral.  Tallow,  fish,  or  animal  oils  are  said  to  be 
too  heavy  and  do  not  seem  so  effective  as  a  vegetable 
oil,  like  castor  oil,  which  is  a  non-drying  oil  and  will 
not  prevent  polish.  Mineral  oils,  such  as  vaseline,  if 
free  from  acid  are  not  injurious,  but  are  not  so  good 
as  the  vegetable.  Rosin  which  exists  in  some  vegetable 
oils  tends  to  crack  the  leather.  Too  heavy  and  too 
much  oil  will  destroy  the  gloss  and  darken  the  color 
of  leather. 

After  any  preparation  except  dry  tannage,  leather 
needs  constant  oiling  to  preserve  the  texture,  life,  and 
appearance.  This  is  particularly  true  of  oil-finished 
leathers,  which  crack  if  allowed  to  become  too  dry. 


SUGGESTIONS  TO  SALESPEOPLE 


155 


Suitcases  and  bags  should  be  washed  with  soap- 
suds free  from  alkali  and  oiled  often  with  a  soft  rag 
and  a  pure  oil.  Good  and  suitable  shoe  pastes  may 
often  be  applied  effectively. 

Even  book  leathers  are  the  better  for  a  little  oil. 
It  should  be  applied  when  they  are  slightly  damp. 
Lanoline  or  vaseline  are  suitable. 

Effect  of  Light  and  Gas 

The  oxidation  which  takes  place  in  dyeing  or  even 
in  drying  changes  the  color  of  leather.  This  is  due  to 
the  action  of  light  on  the  coloring  matter  of  the  tan- 
ning and  dyeing  materials.  For  this  same  reason 
colored  gloves,  bags,  and  fancy  leathers  are  subject  to 
changes  in  color  especially  when  damp  and  should  be 
kept  out  of  strong  lights  when  on  display.  This 
change  of  color  is  particularly  noticeable  in  the  Mo- 
rocco used  for  book-binding  and  upholstery,  if  tanned 
with  bark  of  cassia,  as  is  done  in  India,  instead  of 
sumac.  It  cannot  stand  the  effect  of  light  and  gas 
fumes  for  a  long  period  without  becoming  red  and 
tender.  If  sulphuric  acid  has  been  used  in  tanning  or 
dyeing,  the  change  in  the  leather  is  even  more  notice- 
able. Sumac-tanned  Morocco  leather,  however,  will 
last  for  generations  if  properly  cared  for. 

Gas  which  produces  sulphuric  acid  by  its  combus- 
tion tends  to  dull  or  fade  the  colors. 


154 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 


Effect  of  Acids  and  Alkalies 

Leather  being  an  animal  substance  may  be  injured 
by  excess  of  alkali,  acids,  and  all  corrosives.  Strong 
soaps  should  not  be  used  in  washing  them.  Acids  used 
in  polishes  or  pastes  eat  the  leather. 

Pastes,  Polishes,  and  Dressings 

Originally  when  all  leather  was  bark-tanned  and  oil- 
finished  a  simple  polish  of  lampblack  and  oil  was  all 
that  was  necessary,  but  today  with  the  increasing 
variety  of  leathers  and  methods  of  tanning  the  matter 
of  polishes  becomes  more  involved,  each  variety  and 
kind  of  finish  calling  for  a  certain  kind  of  polish  and 
of  finer  quality  than  the  coarser,  heavier  leathers  re- 
quired. Leather  pastes  are  convenient,  but  liquids  are 
more  effective  for  restoring  faded  color,  as  they  fill  in 
seams  and  give  a  fine  finish.  A  combination  of  the 
two  is  good.  Tan  goods  should  be  well  cleaned  before 
being  waxed  or  oiled. 


Chapter  XXI 

CLASSIFICATION  OF  THE  STOCK  OF  THE 
LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 

Divisions 

A.  Suitcases  and  Traveling  Bags 

B.  Hand-Bags  and  Purses 

C.  Fitted  Bags,  Toilet  Cases,  and  Toilet  Articles 

D.  Traveling  Accessories  and  Automobile  Supplies 

E.  Sewing  Equipment,  Fancy  Boxes 

F.  Library  Equipment  and  Brief-Cases 

G.  Dog  Fittings,  Belts,  Trunk  Straps 

A  —  Traveling  Bags  and  Suitcases 

I.  Kinds 

Traveling 
Kit 

Gladstone 
Cabin  Top 
Over-night 
Shirt-bottom 
Hold-all 
Motor-Rail  Bag 
Suitcases 
Week  End  Boxes 
Hat  Boxes 
Bonnet  Boxes 
Fitted  Bags  and  Cases 

iSS 


156     LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 

2.  Materials 

(a)  Leather 

Cowhide  (or  Sole) 

Horsehide  or  Coltskin 

Pigskin 

Seal 

Walrus 

Alligator 

Crocodile 

Sheepskin 

Goatskin 

(b)  Textile 

Silk 
Cotton 
Linen 
Fiber 

(c)  Wood  and  Straw 

Wicker  and  Matting 

Basswood 

Pine 

(d)  Metals 

Iron 

Steel 

Brass 

Aluminum 

Silver 

3.  Finishes 

Graining  or  Boarding 

Glossing  or  Glazing 

Embossing 

Enameling 

Waxing 

Satin  or  Glove  Finish 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  STOCK 

4.  Sizes 

Bags  — 12  to  26  inches 
Suitcases  —  18  to  28  inches 

B  —  Hand-Bags  and  Purses 

1.  Kinds 

(a)  Women's 

Leather  Hand-Bags 
Silk  Hand-Bags 
Envelope  Bags  and  Purses 
Coin-Purses 
Card-Cases 

(b)  Men's 

Bill-Folds 
Wallets 
Coin-Purses 
Card-Cases 

2.  Materials 

(a)  Leather 

Split  Leather 

Calfskin 

Colt 

Deer 

Pigskin 

Sheep 

Goat 

Seal 

Walrus 

Alligator 

Kangaroo 

Wallaby 

Fishskin 

Lizard 

Snake 


IS7 


158     LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 

(b)  Textile 

Silk 

Linen 

Cotton 

(c)  Metals 

Gold 

Silver 

German  Silver 

Brass 

Gun-Metal 

Steel 

Iron 

3.  Finishes 

(a)  Leather 

Graining 

Sueding 

Russia 

Morocco 

Cordovan 

Levant 

(b)  Textile 

Taffeta 

Satin 

Grosgrain,  or  Faille 

Brocade 

Velvet 

(c)  Metal 

Bright 

Dull 

Oxidized 

C  —  Fitted  Bags,  Toilet  Cases,  and  Toilet  Articles 

I.  Receptacles 
Toilet  Cases 


D  — 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  STOCK  159 

Pullman  Bags 
Over-Night  Cases 
Motor  Toilet  Cases 
Fitted  Suitcases 
Fitted  Traveling  Bags 

2.  Articles 

Manicure  Sets 
Brush  Sets 
Mirrors 
Combs 

3.  Materials 

Leather 

Fabrics 

Bristles 

Bone 

Wood 

Tortoise  Shell 

Ivory 

Steel 

Gold 

Silver 

Nickel 

Celluloid 

Traveling  Accessories  and  Automobile  Supplies 

I.  Kinds 

Traveling  Sets 

Coat  Hanger  Sets 

Collar  Boxes  and  Pouches 

Shirt  Cases 

Tie  Hangers 

Slippers 

Traveling  Pillows 

Hot  Water  Bottles 

Ice  Bags 


l6o     LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 

Traveling  Watches 

Luncheon  Cases,  Picnic,  and  Tea  Baskets 

Thermos  Cases  and  Bottles 

Cups  and  Saucers 

Plates 

Knives  and  Forks 

Sandwich  Boxes 

Bottles  and  Flasks 

Drinking  Cups 

E  —  Sewing  Equipment,  Fancy  Boxes 

1.  Sewing  Equipment 

Sewing  Baskets 
Sewing  Bags 
Sewing  Boxes 
Sewing  Rolls 
Thread 
Scissors 
Needles 
Thimbles 
Sundries 

2.  Fancy  Boxes  and  Cases 

Vanity  Cases 
Jewel  Boxes 
Safety  Jewel  Cases 
Veil  Cases 

Pin  and  Hairpin  Cases 
Ribbon  Cases 
Handkerchief  Cases 
Needle  Cases 
Pin  Cushions 

F  —  Library  Equipment 
I.  Kinds 

Desk  Sets 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  STOCK 


i6i 


Stationery  Cabinets 

Library  Sets 

Desk  Baskets 

Handy  Boxes 

Portfolios  and  Writing  Cases 

Recording  Books  and  Pads 

Brief-Cases,  Music  Rolls 

Albums 

Scrap  Books 

Picture  Frames 

Dog  Fittings,  Belts,  Straps 

1.  Dog  Fittings 

Baskets 

Collars 

Harnesses 

Leaders 

Blankets 

Sweaters 

Muzzles 

Goggles 

Boots 

Combs  and  Brushes 

2.  Belts  and  Straps 

Belts 

Watch  Fobs 

Watch  Straps 

Watch  Bracelets 

3.  Materials 

Leather 

Textiles 

Celluloid 

Glass 

China 

Enamel  Ware 


l62 


LEATHER  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 

Aluminum 

Paper 

Wicker 

Willow 

Wood 

Gold 

Silver 

Nickel 

Brass 

Bronze 

Steel 

Enamel 


Part  II — The  Glove  Department 


Chapter  XXH 
INTRODUCTORY 

Description  of  Department 

The  Glove  Department  is  usually  given  a  prominent 
location  near  an  entrance  and  in  an  easily  accessible 
part  of  the  store.  It  is  often  next  to  the  ribbon,  lace, 
and  veiling  departments.  Its  merchandise  includes 
women's,  misses',  and  children's  kid  and  fabric  gloves, 
and  sometimes  men's  gloves.  In  large  stores  men's 
gloves  are  more  likely  to  be  with  men's  furnishings. 

The  counters  are  narrow  to  provide  for  comfortable 
fitting,  padded  with  velvet,  and  equipped  with  the 
necessary  special  fixtures  and  counter  chairs. 

Divisions  of  Department 

The  merchandise  divides  itself  naturally  into  leather 
and  fabric  gloves.  All  leather  gloves  are  included  in 
the  two  kinds,  glace,  or  dressed  leather,  and  suede,  or 
undressed.  The  former  designation  is  applied  to  those 
finished  on  the  grain  or  hair  side,  and  the  latter  to 
those  finished  on  the  flesh  side  of  the  skin,  or  with 

163 


i64 


THE  GLOVE  DEPARTMENT 


the  grain  surface  removed.     The  gloves  included  in 
each  kind  are: 

1.  Leather 

(a)  Glace  (dressed) 

French  Kid 

Lamb 

Chevrette 

Schmaschen 

Cape 

Washable  Kia 

Dogskin 

(b)  Suede   (undressed) 

Mocha 

Chamois 

Suede 

Doeskin 

Buckskin 

2.  Fabric 

(a)  Silk 

Tricot 
Milanese 

(b)  Cotton 

Chamoisette 
Lisle 

(c)  Wool 

Fabric 
Knitted 


Chapter  XXin 
GLOVE  LEATHERS 


Leathers  Used  for  Gloves 

The  skins  used  in  gloves  are  nearly  all  from  differ- 
ent varieties  of  kid  or  goatskin,  sheep  or  lambskin, 
and  chamois.  Real  chamois,  or  antelope  skin,  is  now 
almost  never  seen  as  the  animals  are  practically  extinct. 

Kid 

Kid  is  used  for  the  best  grades  of  dress  gloves.  The 
finest  are  made  from  the  skins  of  young  goats  pro- 
cured near  the  districts  of  the  world's  most  famous 
glove  centers,  Grenoble  and  Annonay,  and  known  as 
"French  National."  These  skins  are  taken  from  the 
highland  animals  and  are  of  noticeably  beautiful  grain 
and  superior  strength.  The  skins  from  kids  raised  in 
the  nearby  lowlands  and  flat  countries  look  well  but 
lack  the  strength  of  the  highland  skins. 

The  difference  in  the  quality  of  these  kidskins  is 
designated  by  the  terms  "chevreau'*  and  "chevrette," 
chevreau  being  the  skin  of  highest  quality.  It  is  taken 
from  kids  four  or  five  weeks  old,  killed  just  a  short 
time  before  the  weaning  age.    After  the  young  ani- 

165 


i66 


THE  GLOVE  DEPARTMENT 


mals  begin  to  eat  grass  and  vegetable  matter  the 
extreme  fineness  of  the  skin  and  its  delicacy  of  texture 
are  impaired.  The  skins  toughen  and  are  not  so 
suitable  for  the  finest  kid  gloves. 

Chevrette  is  the  skin  of  the  older  kids  from  the 
weaning  age  up  to  two  months.  It  is  an  excellent 
quality  for  men's  dress  gloves,  or  for  women's  light- 
weight street  gloves. 

Sheepskin 

**Sheep"  is  the  term  used  to  designate  skins  taken 
from  these  animals  when  over  two  months  old.  It  is 
of  good  quality  and  well  adapted  to  heavier  dress  or 
street  gloves. 

Besides  "French  National"  skins,  which  make  the 
finest  kid  gloves,  there  are  skins  from  Italy,  Germany, 
Austria,  Belgium,  Spain,  Norway,  Sweden,  and 
Switzerland,  and  those  of  the  South  American 
ranches,  from  which  good-quality  gloves  are  made 
and  called  "kid"  gloves. 

Real  sheep  or  lambskin  when  used  for  gloves  is 
known  commercially  by  a  variety  of  names.  Among 
these  are  cape,  mocha,  lambskin,  and  chamois. 

Sources  of  Lambskin 

Nearly  all  lambskin  for  gloves  comes  from  Europe, 
although  a  small  percentage  is  procured  from  other 


GLOVE  LEATHERS 


167 


parts  of  the  world.  The  finest  lambskins  come  from 
northern  Italy  where  the  lambs  are  raised  with  the 
utmost  care  and  have  consequently  a  skin  of  fine  grain 
and  durability,  very  nearly  like  kidskins.  The  only 
appreciable  difference  between  a  fine  lamb  and  a  kid 
skin  is  that  the  latter  is  more  elastic  and  so  should 
wear  better.     (See  page  6.) 

Cape 

"Cape"  was  the  name  originally  applied  to  gloves 
made  of  heavy  lamb  or  sheepskins  from  the  regions 
about  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  in  South  Africa.  They 
are  still  used  in  the  manufacture  of  cape  gloves,  but 
soft,  pliable  gloves  in  different  weights,  also  known 
as  "cape"  gloves,  are  made  from  other  skins.  The 
name  "cape"  is  now  given  to  gloves  which  are  tanned 
by  a  process  which  makes  them  particularly  durable. 

Mocha 

Mocha  is  said  to  be  the  strongest  glove  leather.  The 
glove  took  its  name  from  Mocha,  a  seaport  town  on 
the  Red  Sea,  whence  the  raw  skins  were  first  obtained. 
The  mocha  glove  passes  through  more  tanning  and 
dressing  processes  than  any  other.  When  finished  it 
looks  like  a  doeskin  or  suede  glove,  but  is  in  reality 
quite  different.  Mocha  is  not  sueded,  which  means 
finishing  the  rough,  flesh  side  of  the  skin,  but  "friezed" 


I68 


THE  GLOVE  DEPARTMENT 


— ^paring  off  the  smooth  hair  side  surface  giving  it 
the  rough  appearance  of  the  suede  or  chamois  glove. 
This  process  is  the  manufacturer's  means  of  pre- 
serving as  much  of  the  strength  of  the  skin  as  possible, 
as  the  strongest  part  of  the  skin  is  naturally  the  outside. 

Chamois 

Chamois  gloves  were  first  made  from  the  skins  of 
the  European  antelope  living  in  the  Alps  of  Switzer- 
land and  in  the  Pyrenees.  The  animal  is  now  so 
nearly  extinct  that  genuine  chamois  skins  are  rare  and 
the  chamois  of  modern  commerce  is,  in  reality,  like  the 
so-called  doeskins,  only  sheep  or  lambskins  tanned  in 
a  special  way.  Lambskins  are  used  to  some  extent  to 
make  the  finer  chamois  gloves,  but  are  not  so  durable 
as  sheep. 

Suede  and  Glace 

Suede  leather  is  so  called  from  its  method  of  prep- 
aration. Skins  having  an  imperfect  grain  are  finished 
on  the  flesh  side  of  the  skin  by  the  sueding  process, 
which  loosens  or  ''fluffs'*  the  already  rough  surface. 
Thus  the  inside  of  the  skin  becomes  the  outside  of  the 
glove.  Glace  gloves  are  made  from  skins  which  are 
free  from  blemishes  and  therefore  can  be  finished  on 
the  grain  side.  Suede  gloves  will  not  stand  the  same 
amount  of  stretching  as  the  glace,  and,  though  good- 


GLOVE  LEATHERS 


169 


looking  at  first,  will  not  last  so  well,  because  the  resist- 
ing part  of  the  skin  has  been  removed.  High-grade 
suede  and  inferior  mocha  look  very  much  alike.  Be- 
cause of  their  rough  surface,  suede  and  chamois 
gloves  soil  more  readily  than  the  glace,  or  smooth- 
finished,  gloves. 

"Schmaschen"  is  a  term  applied  to  the  lowest  grade 
of  leather  made  into  gloves.  It  is  the  tanned  skins  of 
still-born  lambs,  or  of  lambs  which  live  for  only  a 
few  days.  These  skins  are  exceedingly  tender  because 
immatured  and  gloves  made  from  them  lack  durability. 

Characteristics  of  Glove  Leather 

Good  glove  leather  is  firm  but  soft  and  pliable,  of  a 
clear  and  even  color,  and  fine  finish.  It  should  have 
«life/'_give  slightly  when  stretched  or  pulled  between 
the  two  hands  or  over  the  fingers,  and  should  take  its 
original  shape  again  when  the  pressure  is  removed. 
This  shows  that  the  skin  has  been  taken  from  a  healthy 
animal  and  has  been  properly  tanned  and  dressed. 

Preparation  of  Glove  Skins 

The  preliminary  preparation  of  glove  leathers  is  by : 

Cleansing 
Liming 
Dehairing 
Branning 


I70 


THE  GLOVE  DEPARTMENT 


The  large  manufacturers  of  gloves  buy  their  skins 
"in  the  raw,"  while  the  smaller  ones  get  them  "in  the 
white,"  or  dressed.  The  process  of  dressing  is  similar 
to  that  of  skin  leathers  of  the  finer  varieties. 

The  skins,  when  they  arrive  at  the  dressing  factory, 
are  spoken  of  as  "in  the  hair."  They  are  well  sprinkled 
with  a  disinfectant.  If  they  remain  "stocked,"  or 
packed,  they  are  shaken  frequently  to  avoid  overheat- 
ing. At  the  factory  they  are  sorted  and  classified 
according  to  the  method  of  tannage  and  finish  suited 
to  each  one.  The  heavier  skins  require  more  severe 
processes ;  the  finer  ones  more  delicate  and  painstaking 
treatment. 

Cleansing 

The  skins  are  placed  in  clear  cold  water  and  are 
allowed  to  soak  for  a  period  of  48  hours,  after  which 
they  are  washed  in  running  cold  water  and  then  again 
soaked.  This  softens  them  and  removes  all  foreign 
matter. 

Liming 

They  are  then  placed  in  concrete  tanks  sunk  in  the 
floor  in  a  mixture  of  lime  and  water  to  be  swollen  and 
made  "unhairable."  The  length  of  time  they  re- 
main in  this  lime  bath  depends  upon  the  kind  of  skin 
and  its  texture.    It  may  be  from  10  to  25  days.    This 


GLOVE  LEATHERS 


171 


is  one  of  the  most  critical  of  all  processes  of  prep- 
aration, since  skins  left  in  too  long  are  so  softened 
as  to  make  inferior  glove  leather. 

Dehairing 

The  skins  are  well  washed  after  the  lime  bath  and 
then  are  freed  from  the  hair,  fat,  or  muscular  tissue 
adhering  to  the  flesh  side  by  a  process  similar  to  that 
used  in  preparing  bag  and  other  leathers.  It  is  usually 
handwork  in  the  case  of  fine  glove  skins,  but  heavier 
skins  are  dehaired  by  machine.  The  fleshing  and 
trimming  are  done  by  scissors  and  blunt  knives. 

The  skins  are  then  again  washed,  this  time  in  hot 
water  and  a  special  preparation,  in  a  large  tublike  ma- 
chine similar  to  a  washing  machine.  This  washing  frees 
them  entirely  from  the  lime.  They  appear  translucent 
by  this  time  as  they  are  almost  pure  gelatine.  They 
are  very  delicate  in  this  condition  and  must  be  handled 
most  carefully  lest  they  weaken  in  spots  or  tear 

Branning 

In  this  translucent,  wet,  and  slimy  condition  the  skins 
are  first  thrown  across  wooden  blocks  and  deprived 
of  any  remaining  fat  by  the  scraping  of  blunt  knives. 
They  are  then  placed  in  a  mixture  of  bran  and  warm 
water  from  which  they  are  removed  from  time  to 
time  until  properly  softened,  whitened,  and  dried. 


172 


THE  GLOVE  DEPARTMENT 


Tanning  Glove  Leathers 

Glove  leathers  are  tanned  by: 
Tawing 
Chamoying 
Formaldehyde  tannage 
Chrome  tannage 

Tawing 

The  process  of  tawing  is  similar  in  its  principles  to 
that  of  tawing  leather.  The  skins  are  placed  in  a  large 
drum  containing  a  mixture  of  egg  yolk,  meal,  and 
alum,  which  fills  the  pores,  feeds  the  skin,  and  makes 
them  into  leather.  The  skins  are  left  in  this  bath  a 
day  or  so  when  they  are  hung  up  to  dry  tied  in  packs 
of  six  dozen  each.  It  is  best  to  allow  them  to  dry 
naturally  for  15  days  to  a  month.  As  they  are  stiff 
and  hard  after  drying,  they  are  softened  by  soaking  in 
clear  cold  water  for  a  few  minutes,  wrung  through 
wringers,  and  after  drying  again  put  through  the 
staking  process.  This  makes  them  soft,  elastic,  and 
workable. 

The  famous  German  "napa  dip"  method  of  tanning 
cape  gloves  was  by  alum  tannage  or  tawing.  This 
method,  is,  however,  being  supplanted  by  a  chrome 
tannage  introduced  by  American  tanners,  which  makes 
a  superior  cape  or  street  glove  of  washable  quality. 

Suede    leathers    are    almost    invariably    tawed    or 


GLOVE  LEATHERS 


173 


tanned  by  the  action  of  alum,  salt,  flour,  and  tgg  yolk 
to  which  olive  oil  or  glycerin  has  been  added.  If  they 
are  to  be  pure  white  the  oil  is  omitted  and  they  are  given 
a  second  dressing  of  French  chalk  or  China  clay. 

For  formaldehyde  tanning,  see  page  40 ;  for  chrome 
tanning,  see  page  37-39- 

Chamoying 

Chamoying  is  a  treatment  with  fats  or  oils  (see 
page  41).  Chamoyed  leathers  are  often  bleached  with 
acids.  Poorly  bleached  skins  may  have  French  chalk 
worked  into  them.  Bleached  skins  will  turn  yellow, 
or  revert  to  their  original  color,  if  left  in  the  dark. 

Glove  leathers  are  often  shaved  or  split  after  tan- 
nage. Much  of  the  imitation  doeskin  and  chamois  is 
made  of  sheepskin  splits. 

Finishing  Processes — Doling 

After  tanning,  glove  skins  are  "doled,"  or  re'duced 
to  uniform  thickness,  which  is  in  refined  form  the 
same  as  the  process  of  breaking  and  staking  the 
heavier  leathers.  The  doler  lays  the  skin  on  a  marble 
slab  and  with  a  broad  flat  knife,  sharp  as  a  razor, 
planes  or  pares  off  the  uneven  or  thick  places.  In  this 
condition  the  skin  is  technically  known  as  "in  the 

white." 

The  skins  are  then  dressed  and  dyed  by  processes 


174 


THE  GLOVE  DEPARTMENT 


similar  to  those  used  for  other  leathers  of  the  same 
weight.  See  Chapters  VIII  and  IX.  Suede  leathers 
take  colors  more  easily  than  glace  leather  because  of 
their  soft  open  texture. 

Finishing  or  Dressing 

The  finishing  or  dressing  of  glove  leathers  is  one 
of  the  most  important  and  delicate  of  the  many 
processes. 

The  animal  tissue  removed  by  tanning  is  restored 
by  the  rubbing  in  of  various  suitable  dressings,  such 
as  animal  oils,  olive  oil,  egg  yolks,  and  filling  and 
whiting  agents,  as  flour.  These  nourish  the  skin  as 
well  as  improve  its  appearance.  The  dressings  may  be 
rubbed  in  by  hand  or  machinery. 

Glace  leather  is  ironed  and  smoothed  with  a  warm 
emery  wheel  and  then  with  a  smoothing  wheel,  which 
gives  it  a  firm,  lustrous  surface. 

Treatment  of  Washable  Leather 

Washable  gloves  are  so  desirable  for  street  and 
sport  wear  and  for  driving  that  manufacturers  have 
given  much  attention  to  the  perfection  of  washable 
leathers. 

Chamois  gloves  were  for  a  long  time  the  only 
washable  variety,  because  chamoying  or  oil  tannage 
made  the  skins  soft  and  water-resistant  and  at  the 


GLOVE  LEATHERS 


175 


same  time  preserved  and  softened  them.  (See  Chapter 
VII.)  Alum-tanned,  or  tawed,  leathers  are  now  made 
washable  by  giving  them  an  oil  dressing.  Doeskin 
and  buckskin  are  sometimes  given  this  treatment. 
Formaldehyde  tannage  will  also  produce  washable 
leather,  but  if  the  chemical  is  not  entirely  removed 
the  skin  will  become  brittle  and  tender. 

The  heavier  leathers,  such  as  mochas  and  capes, 
are  chrome-tanned,  and  this  process  produces  the  best 
washable  leather.  Gloves  made  from  this  leather ^may 
be  washed  in  water  up  to  a  temperature  of  212°  F., 
and  with  reasonable  care  the  dyes  will  not  run  or 
streak.  Chrome-tanned  leather  is  also  satisfactory  be- 
cause of  its  firm,  even  texture  and  durability.  It  is 
very  little  affected  by  heat,  cold,  or  moisture. 

For  all  washable  gloves  the  water  must  be  suffi- 
ciently cool  not  to  harden  and  crack  the  skin. 


Chapter  XXIV 
MANUFACTURE  OF  LEATHER  GLOVES 

Glove  Patterns 

In  making  gloves  the  first  step  is  marking  off  the 
leather  into  square  feet,  one  square  for  each  glove. 
The  expert  cutters  who  do  this  work  avoid  those  parts 
of  the  skin  which  have  been  scarred  or  damaged  in 
any  way  during  the  tanning  or  finishing  processes,  as 
these  would  make  the  glove  imperfect. 

The  next  workman  lays  his  pasteboard  patterns 
on  the  squares  in  such  a  way  as  to  escape  minor  flaws, 
secure  elasticity  and  strength  where  they  are  most 
needed,  and  use  the  skin  to  the  best  advantage.  Each 
piece  of  leather  is  dampened  and  stretched  before 
cutting  so  that  the  "stretch"  may  be  normal  and  the 
finished  glove  not  pull  out  of  shape  when  fitted  on  the 
hand. 

The  cutter  tests  the  skin  as  he  applies  the  pattern, 
allowing  a  little  fullness  for  the  flexing  of  the  hand 
and  also  considering  the  kind  of  sewing  to  be  used,  as 
some  types  of  seam  require  more  leather  than  others. 
This  process  is  called  "tranking,"  and  the  pieces  are 

176 


MANUFACTURE  OF  LEATHER  GLOVES      177 

known  as  "tranks."  The  workman  is  expected  to 
cut  a  perfect  glove  from  each  square  foot  of  leather. 
If  he  does  not  he  is  considered  inefficient  unless  he  can 
prove  that  the  skin  came  to  him  in  a  damaged  con- 
dition. 

Cutting 

The  tranked  pieces  are  laid  in  piles  and  the  gloves 
stamped  out  with  metal  dies.  The  dies  represent  all 
sizes  and  vary  somewhat  in  the  different  makes  of 
gloves,  some  having  extra  long  or  short  fingers  and 
others  three  lengths  of  finger — short,  medium,  and  long. 
There  are  also  dies  for  gloves  with  special  cuts  for 
the  thumb  and  little  finger  and  other  variations,  such 
as  gussets  between  the  fingers  as  well  as  at  the  base  of 
the  thumb.  This  accounts  for  one's  having  a  favorite 
make  or  brand  of  glove. 

All  the  various  sections  of  the  glove  are  cut  with 
one  movement  of  the  die. 

Glove  Parts 

The  thumb,  facings,  and  smaller  pieces  have  con- 
necting edges  or  small  strips  of  the  skin  attaching  to 
each  other  in  order  that  they  may  not  be  lost.  These 
smaller  pieces  are  known  as  "fourchettes,"  "quirks," 
and  "hearts." 


za 


178 


THE  GLOVE  DEPARTMENT 


Fourchettes  are  the  narrow  strips  of  leather  on  the 

inside  of  the  glove  fingers. 
Quirks  are  the  gussets  set  in  the  base  of  the 

thumb  and  often  at  the  base  of  the  fingers  also. 
Hearts  are  the  staying  pieces  in  the  palm  at  the 

top  of  the  glove  opening. 

The  inside  of  the  thumb  in  each  pair  of  gloves  is 
at  this  time  stamped  with  a  number  so  that  they  may 
not  be  mixed  in  passing  from  hand  to  hand. 

While  the  cutting  of  nearly  all  fine  gloves  is  done 
by  machine  the  die  is  sometimes  struck  with  a  mallet. 
By  this  method  of  hand-cutting  only  a  few  pairs  can 
be  cut  at  a  time  and  the  cutting  is  not  so  accurate  as 
when  cut  by  machine.  Heavy  buck  or  driving  gloves 
may  be  cut  with  a  sharp  knife  or  scissors  after  the 
pattern  has  been  outlined  on  the  skin. 

Decoration 

The  backs  of  gloves  are  ornamented  with  fancy 
stitching  which  is  always  in  the  form  of  three  diver- 
gent rows  designated  as  "points."  This  decoration  is 
called  the  "stitching,"  while  the  needlework  upon  the 
seams  is  called  "sewing."  When  there  are  several 
rows  of  the  stitching  in  each  point  it  is  called 
"embroidery." 

Plain  points  resemble  a  simple  round  seam  and  the 


MANUFACTURE  OF  LEATHER  GLOVES       179 

stitching  Is  known  as  "filet."  Paris  points  have  a 
length  of  cable  or  overstitching  bordered  on  each  side 
by  a  row  of  plain  stitching.  Spear  points  have  a 
spear-shaped  finish  at  the  wrist  end. 

Embroidery  is  called  3,  4,  or  5  row  embroidery 
according  to  the  number  of  chain  stitches  in  each  point. 
(See  Figure  9  for  illustrations  of  these  decorations.) 

Machines  are  now  used  for  nearly  all  of  this  work 
but  a  few  varieties  are  still  done  by  hand. 

Sewing 

The  stitched  or  embroidered  glove  is  given  to  the 
"maker"  for  the  sewing.  The  thumb  is  first  set  in 
and  closed;  the  fourchettes,  quirks,  and  hearts  are 
attached;  and  finally  the  fingers  are  seamed  up. 

Gloves  are  sewed  in  three  different  ways: 

The  overseam  is  made  by  placing  the  two  edges  of 
the  leather  together  and  sewing  them  over  and  over. 
It  is  also  known  as  the  "round  seam"  and  the  "cable 
seam." 

The  pique  seam  has  one  edge  slightly  lapped  over 
the  other  and  is  sewed  in  a  continuous  straight  stitch. 
"Full-pique"  gloves  are  those  which  have  all  the  seams 
sewed  in  this  way,  "half -pique"  have  the  inner  seams 
of  the  fingers  overstitched  and  the  outer  ones  pique- 
stitched.    This  is  a  popular  seam  for  street  gloves. 

The  prix-seam  is  made  by  bringing  the  edges  to- 


i 


i8o 


THE  GLOVE  DEPARTMENT 


gether  as  in  the  overseam,  but  they  are  sewed  through 
and  through  with  a  continuous  stitch,  the  sewing 
showing  on  both  sides  of  the  seam  instead  of  on  one 
as  in  the  lapped,  pique  seam.  The  prix  seam  is  suit- 
able for  heavy  leathers. 

A  few  round  seam  and  prix  seam  gloves  are  sewed 
by  hand.  (See  Figure  9  for  illustration  of  these 
seams.) 

Finishing 

The  glove  then  has  the  facings  attached  and  the 
clasp  or  buttons  put  on.  It  is  then  ready  for  the 
inspector  who  examines  each  seam  to  see  that  it  is 
well  finished. 

Laying-Off 

The  completed  gloves  are  then  carried  to  long  tables 
from  which  steam-heated  brass  hands  project  at  an 
acute  angle.  Each  glove  is  slipped  over  one  of  these 
and  drawn  to  shape,  the  thumb  being  stretched  on 
a  separate  form.  When  removed  the  glove  is  smooth 
and  shapely.  The  heat  and  stretching  have  softened 
the  leather,  opened  up  the  seams,  and  given  the  glove 
a  finished  appearance. 

Glace  gloves  are  submitted  to  a  final  polishing  with 
luster  containing  wax  and  oil  which  is  applied  with 


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MANUFACTURE  OF  LEATHER  GLOVES       l8l 
a  plush  wheel.    The  emery  wheel  is  used  to  refine  the 

^  Suede  gloves  are  fluffed  with  an  emery  or  buffing 
wheel.  Again,  the  gloves  are  inspected,  matched, 
banded,  and  boxed  according  to  color,  style,  and  size. 


Chapter  XXV 

FABRIC  GLOVES 

Materials 

Fabric  gloves  may  be  of  silk,  cotton,  or  wool. 

Silk 

Silk  is  made  from  the  filament  spun  by  the  silk 
worm,  which  is  cultivated  chiefly  in  China,  Japan,  and 
Italy,  though  India,  France,  Spain,  Austria,  Hungary, 
and  Russia  also  produce  "raw,"  or  unmanufactured 
silk.  Silk  worm  cultivation  has  been  attempted  in  the 
United  States  but  has  never  been  commercially  suc- 
cessful. Silk  manufacture  is,  however,  one  of  our 
great  industries. 

Raw  silk  is  imported  in  untwisted  skeins  before  the 
gum  has  been  removed.  After  it  has  been  ^'boiled  off," 
thrown,  or  twisted,  and  dyed  it  is  returned  to  the  glove 
manufacturer  wound  on  spools.  (See  "Silk 
Manual.")  Japanese  silk  is  preferred  by  glove  manu- 
facturers because  of  its  strength,  evenness,  and 
elasticity. 

Cotton 

Cotton  is  made  from  the  seed  pod  of  the  cotton 
plant,  which  is  cultivated  in  the  United  States,  South 

182 


FABRIC  GLOVES 


183 


America,  Egypt,  and  India.     Sea  island  cotton    the 
finest  quality,  is  raised  in  the  southern  part  ot  the 
United  States  near  the  coast.     Egyptian  cotton  is  of 
a  similar  quality  with  long,  strong,  and  lustrous  fibers^ 
The  cotton  fibers  must  be  straightened  and  separated 
by   combing   and   carding,    spun    into   a   cotitmuous 
thread,  bleached,  and  dyed.    Before  bemg  sen   to  the 
glove  manufacturer  it  is  usually  woven  or  knitted  into 
a  fabric.     (See  "Cotton  and  Linen  Manual.  ) 

Lisle  thread,  which  is  used  extensively  m  making 
gloves,  is  spun  in  a  moist  atmosphere,  singed  or 
Lsed  to  remove  short  ends,  and  given  a  hard  twist. 
This  treatment  makes  it  strong,  lustrous,  and  elastic. 

^Wool  is  the  hair  or  covering  of  sheep  and  is  grown 
in  many  countries.  Australian  wool  is  the  finest 
variety  but  the  United  States  is  also  a  great  producer 

of  raw  wool.  .    ., 

It  is  prepared  for  manufacture  by  processes  similar 

to  those  used  for  cotton,  that  is,  it  must  be  cleansed 

carded  and  combed,  spun,  and  dyed,  commg  to  the 

glove  manufacturer  in  the  form  of  yarn  or  as  a  woven 

or  knitted  fabric. 

Manufacture  of  Knitted  Fabrics 

Knitted  fabrics  are  made  by  interlacmg  the  loops  of 

a  single  continuous  thread  or  group  of  threads.    They 


i84 


THE  GLOVE  DEPARTMENT 


are  much  more  elastic  than  woven  fabrics  and  there- 
fore better  adapted  for  gloves  or  stockings,  where 
smoothness  and  perfection  of  fit  are  of  the  first  im- 
portance. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  knitted  silk  fabrics :  tricot 
and  milanese. 

Tricot  (French  for  "knitted")  is  made  on  a  machine 
having  only  one  set  of  needles  on  the  guide  bar,  each 
stitch  being  looped  through  the  corresponding  one  in 
the  previous  row.  The  fabric  stretches  equally  in 
both  directions. 

Milanese,  or  Jersey,  silk  is  knitted  on  a  more  intricate 
machine,  with  but  two  sets  of  needles  on  the  guide  bar, 
which  permit  the  thread  on  the  needle  bar  to  knit  the 
new  stitch  into  one  either  to  the  right  or  the  left  of 
the  corresponding  stitch  in  the  previous  row,  thus 
producing  a  triangle-shaped  mesh  supported  on  all 
sides.  The  fabric  is  very  firm  and  durable  but  is 
more  expensive  than  tricot,  as  it  requires  more  silk. 
It  can  be  distinguished  by  its  even,  satiny  texture, 
and  by  the  fact  that  it  stretches  more  in  the  width  than 
in  the  length. 

Cutting  and  Sewing 

Several  thicknesses  of  the  knitted  fabric,  which  is 
knitted  in  strips  of  such  length  and  width  as  to  cut 
the  gloves  with  the  least  possible  waste  of  material, 


FABRIC  GLOVES 


185 


are  stretched  together  upon  a  long  table  and  securely 
fastened  on  the  sides  to  prevent  slipping.  The  pattern 
is  laid  out,  or  marked,  and  cut  through  the  series  of 
thicknesses  with  dies  or  electrical  cutting  machines. 

Woolen  gloves  and  mittens  are  sometimes  cut  from 
knitted  fabrics  but  many  of  them  are  made  on  circular 
knitting  machines  which  shape  them  to  fit  the  hand. 

If  the  gloves  are  to  be  embroidered  this  is  done  on 
an  embroidery  machine  similar  to  those  used  for 
making  Swiss  embroidery.  The  stitching  and  sewing 
of  silk  gloves  differs  from  kid  glove  making  in  only  one 
particular,  the  double  tipping  of  the  fingers.  This  is 
done  by  a  machine  which  catches  the  edges  of  the 
extra  piece  into  the  material  on  the  inside  of  each 
finger,  binding  it  down  with  close-set  overstitches.^ 

The  gloves  are  finally  shaped  over  hot  "boards,"  or 
hand-shaped  forms,  which  stretch  them  and  bring 
out  the  luster  of  the  material. 

Characteristics  of  Fabric  Gloves 

Silk  gloves  are  beautiful  and  give  one  a  sense  of 
daintiness.  They  are  cooler  and  more  easily  laundered 
than  kid,  and  keep  clean  longer  than  cotton  gloves. 

Cotton  gloves  launder  even  better  than  silk.  The 
lisle  gloves  have  almost  superseded  other  varieties  of 
cotton  gloves  because  of  their  superior  strength  and 
elasticity,  although  heavy  cotton  gloves  may  be  found 


I86 


THE  GLOVE  DEPARTMENT 


in  inexpensive  grades.  Good  lisle  gloves  may  fit  as 
well  as  silk  and  launder  better. 

Chamoisette,  chamoisuede,  suedine,  doette,  chamois, 
and  suede  lisle  are  names  given  to  a  type  of  fabric 
gloves  made  to  look  like  chamois  skin  or  other  sueded 
leathers.  They  are  made  of  lisle  thread  knitted  in  a 
plain  or  fine  rib  pattern,  sized  with  a  special  prepara- 
tion, and  "napped,"  or  fluffed  up,  on  the  surface  to 
give  the  soft  appearance  of  suede  leather.  This  type 
of  fabric  glove  has  been  very  popular.  (See  Figure  lO.) 

Woolen  gloves  are  warm  and  light  and  especially 
adapted  for  children's  wear  and  for  driving,  golf,  or 
other  sports. 

History  of  Knitting 

Knitting  machines  are  a  comparatively  late  inven- 
tion. Weaving  by  means  of  simple  hand-looms  was 
practiced  by  primitive  people  long  before  there  were 
any  historical  records,  and  complicated  looms  were 
used  by  the  Greeks,  Egyptians,  and  Chinese,  but  knit- 
ting does  not  seem  to  have  been  an  ancient  industry. 

As  far  back  as  the  fifteenth  century  the  Scotch 
knitted  caps  and  stockings  by  hand,  and  in  1529  a 
knitting  machine  called  the  "stocking  frame"  was  in- 
vented by  William  Lee,  an  Englishman.  Since  then 
many  improvements  have  been  made  and  now  there 
are   many   kinds   of   knitting   machines — flat    fabric, 


Courtesy  of  Quality  Silk  Mills 

Figure  lo.     Sueded  Fabric  Novelties 


FABRIC  GLOVES 


187 


circular,  and  adjustable,  as  for  gloves  and  hosiery. 
Mittens  were  first  knitted  on  a  circular  machine  similar 
to  the  stocking  frame.  Later  adjustments  of  the 
machine  were  made  so  that  the  hand  might  be  shaped 
and  the  fingers  knitted  separately. 

Before  the  war  the  foreign  centers  of  knitting 
manufacture  were  in  Saxony  and  other  parts  of  Ger- 
many. The  United  States  obtained  large  quantities 
of  fabric  gloves  and  mittens  from  this  source,  but 
domestic  manufacture  has  been  stimulated  by  the 
check  to  foreign  trade. 


Chapter  XXVI 

MEN'S,  CHILDREN'S,  AND  SPECIAL  LINES 

OF  GLOVES 

Men's  Gloves 

Men's  gloves  are  made  in  regulation  "loose  pattern" 
cuts.    The  *'cadet"  is  a  short-fingered  glove. 

Browns,  grays,  and  natural-color  chamois,  are  the 
popular  colors  for  street  wear,  gray  silk  for  warm- 
weather  afternoon  wear,  and  white  or  pearl  for  dress. 

The  sewing,  except  for  a  very  fine  dress  glove,  is 
pique  or  prix  seam. 

Cape,  mocha,  and  buckskin  gloves  are  the  most 
suitable  gloves  for  street  wear,  while  kid  is  the  correct 

evening  glove. 

Many  of  the  heavier  motor  driving,  and  working 
gloves  and  mittens,  are  manufactured  in  Germany, 
Austria,  and  Canada.  They  are  made  of  horsehide,  qr 
heavy  calf  or  sheep,  and  are  prepared  with  the  chrome 
tannage  so  that  they  retain  their  softness  after  ex- 
posure to  cold  and  dampness.  They  may  be  lined  or 
unlined  and  are  sewed  on  a  special  lock-stitch  machine 
which  prevents  ripping. 

Auto  and  driving  gloves  often  have  "grip"  palms, 

l88 


Courtesy  of  Louis  Meyers  &  Son 


Figure  1 1 .    Examples  of  Leathers,  Stitching,  Clasps,  and  Seams 

of  Men's  Gloves 

r^#_Button  and  buttonhole  gray  mocha  street  gloves 
Right-mltceVmed,    one-piece,    washable    cape,    one-clasp,    spear-back 
driving  glove 


/ 

MEN'S,  CHILDREN'S,  AND  SPECIAL  GLOVES  189 

that  is,  additional  layers  of  leather  as  a  protection 
against  the  extra  wear  on  those  parts  of  the  gloves  For 
summer  this  style  of  glove  is  often  made  with  hsle 
back  and  "grip"  P^lm  of  leather.  A  silk  glove  with 
leather  palm  is  a  popular  summer  dnvmg  glove  as  it 
is  cool  and  comfortable.  It  is  of  various  staple  colors. 
Driving  gloves  are  sometimes  of  washable  kid. 

A  popular  golf  glove  is  made  of  doette  or  strong 
sheepskin  with  the  left  palm  of  kid  and  fingers  half- 
length  The  palm  is  ventilated  by  means  of  opemngs. 
See  Figure  1 1  for  illustration  of  these  various  points. 

Misses'  Gloves 

Misses'  gloves  in  both  kid  and  fabric,  are  not  merely 
little  gloves  marked  with  misses'  sizes,  but  gloves  cut 
to  fit  misses'  hands.  The  fingers  are  shorter  and  the 
hand  broader. 

Children's  Gloves 

Children's  gloves  are  sometimes  sold  in  the  Glove 
Department  where  special  counters  and  chairs  are  pro- 
vided. In  many  cases,  however,  they  are  not  shown 
in  the  women's  glove  department,  but  rather  m  a 
special  Children's  or  Junior  Department  carrying 
children's  dresses,  shoes,  etc. 

The  manufacture  of  children's  gloves  is  becoming 
a  recognized  and  highly  specialized  branch  of  the 


190 


THE  GLOVE  DEPARTMENT 


glove  industry  with  a  large  variety  of  materials,  cuts, 
styles,  and  colors. 

Long  glace  and  silk  gloves  for  children  are  shown 
in  colors  to  match  party  costumes.  Washable  fabrics 
and  leathers  similar  to  those  employed  for  women's 
gloves  are  also  popular  for  children's  gloves.  The 
mocha,  chamois,  and  cape,  similar  to  the  man's  street 
wear  gloves,  are  especially  suitable  for  boys.  Knitted 
and  leather  mittens  in  a  variety  of  colors  and  styles 
particularly  in  the  smallest  sizes,  are  popular  for  both 
sport  and  service  wear. 

Mitts 

Mitts  are  found  in  some  glove  departments.  There 
are  two  styles;  short  and  long.  The  materials  may  be 
lace  or  silk.  The  lace  is  often  handmade  or  "real," 
such  as  chantilly  or  rose  point,  but  it  may  be  a  machine- 
made  lace,  such  as  filet  or  plat  val.  Silk  mitts  of 
knitted  fabric  are  plain  or  embroidered  and  may  be 
either  tricot  or  milanese  in  medium  or  heavy  weight. 

Lined  Gloves 

Both  leather  and  fabric  gloves  may  be  lined.  The 
making  of  linings  is  a  specialized  branch  of  the  indus- 
try. Glove  silkmills  turn  out  fabrics  of  even  and 
durable  quality  especially  adapted  to  linings,  woolen- 
mills  manufacture   the   woolen   linings,    fur-dressing 


MEN'S,  CHILDREN'S,  AND  SPECIAL  GLOVES  191 

factories  fur  linings,  and  special  leathers  are  prepared 
for  glove  lining.  Large  glove  factories  prefer  to  buy 
the  raw  material  and  make  their  own  linings,  as  they 
do  their  other  supplies. 

Linings,  then,  may  be  silk,  cotton,  wool,  fur,  or 
leather,  and  in  rare  cases  linen.  If  silk,  it  is  either 
milanese  or  tricot;  if  cotton,  mercerized  or  lisle. 
Wool  linings  are  either  soft,  loosely  felted  wool  or  a 
knitted  wool  fabric,  well  napped,  that  is,  a  loosely 
woven  or  knitted  fabric  with  the  loose  ends  of  fiber 
pulled  out  by  a  coarse-toothed  machine.  It  is  similar 
to  a  wool  blanket  in  which  the  nap  provides  softness 
and  warmth  by  friction.  These  linings  are  called 
"fleece"  linings.  Lamb's  wool  is  the  soft,  pliable  pelt 
of  a  lamb,  prepared  like  fur. 

The  furs  used  for  glove  linings  are  usually  the 
cheaper  furs  as  rabbit,  coney,  and  squirrel,  which  are 
also  used  for  glove  cuffs  and  trimmings.  Astrakhan, 
a  woolen  cloth  woven  and  finished  in  imitation  of 
Persian  lamb,  is  also  used  for  this  latter  purpose. 
Otter  and  beaver  make  durable  cuffs  and  trimmings 

for  gloves. 

The  leathers  suitable  for  glove  linings  are  chamois 
and  lamb,  as  they  are  soft,  pliable,  and  porous.  They 
are  also  cheaper  and  more  plentiful,  made  as  they  are 
in  most  cases  from  split  sheepskins  or  from  parts  of 
glove  skins  unsuitable  for  the  glove  itself. 


192 


THE  GLOVE  DEPARTMENT 


Linings  may  be  cut  out  by  glove  patterns  and  sewed 
up  with  the  gloves,  or  they  may  be  "slip  in"  or  "seam- 
less" knitted,  that  is,  knit  on  a  special  circular  glove- 
knitting  machine  which  does  away  with  all  seams. 
This  makes  a  smooth  and  comfortable  lining. 


Chapter  XXVH 
HISTORY  OF  GLOVES 

Antiquity  of  Gloves 

We  find  traces  of  the  use  of  gloves  in  very  early 
days  but  only  for  ceremonial  or  formal  occasions.  The 
Romans  wore  gloves  as  an  ornamental  part  of  their 
dress  and  the  Greeks  to  protect  their  hands  when  doing 
certain  kinds  of  work. 

In  the  days  of  chivalry  heavy  gauntlet  gloves  were 
used  as  a  part  of  the  knight's  protective  armor  and  the 
leather  was  often  covered  with  thin,  flexible  plates  of 
steel. 

The  throwing  of  a  glove  at  the  feet  of  an  enemy  or 
rival  was  considered  a  challenge  to  mortal  combat. 
On  the  other  hand  a  knight  carried  his  lady's  glove 
on  his  spear  as  a  symbol  of  devotion  and  as  a  talisman 
to  protect  him  in  battle. 

Queen  Elizabeth  and  her  court  wore  very  elaborate 
gloves  ornamented  with  gold  and  silver  embroidery 
and  fringe  and  made  with  insets  and  ruffles  of  lace. 
These  gloves  were  also  perfumed,  but  we  should  con- 
sider them  exceedingly  crude  and  clumsy  in  shape. 

13  193 


H 


^1 
^1 


194 


THE  GLOVE  DEPARTMENT 


Gloves  were  also  worn  by  popes  and  church  digni- 
taries as  symbols  of  their  office.  At  first  these  gloves 
were  white,  but  afterward  were  so  gaudy  in  color  that 
they  were  prohibited. 

During  all  this  period  gloves  were  considered  one  of 
the  signs  of  royalty  or  nobility  and  like  laces,  furs, 
and  jewelry,  were  not  permitted  to  the  common 
people. 

The  Modem  Industry 

The  modern  glove  industry  had  its  origin  in  Gre- 
noble, France,  which  has  been  called  the  "cradle"  of  the 
glove  industry.  There  were  glove  guilds  as  early  as 
1339,  and  by  1 69 1  the  Corporation  of  Glove  Makers 
was  strong  enough  to  hold  in  check  the  rival  towns  of 
Lyons,  Annonay,  and  Millau  and  later  the  competition 
in  England,  Germany,  Austria,  and  Switzerland. 

The  glovers  of  Grenoble  have  been  an  important 
factor  in  the  political  and  social  life  of  France  as  well 
as  being  at  the  center  of  one  of  the  great  French 
industries.  In  the  French  Revolution  they  gave  men 
and  money  to  help  the  people's  cause,  disregarding  the 
clergy  and  the  nobles  who  had  been  their  patrons. 

During  the  late  World  War  there  were  so  many 
Grenoble  men  at  the  front  that  the  industry  was  prac- 
tically suspended,  as  the  women  and  children  were  only 
able  to  care  for  the  less  skilled  branches. 


HISTORY  OF  GLOVES 


195 


Introduction  of  Machinery 

Until  the  middle  of  the  last  century  gloves  were  cut 
with  shears  and  sewed  by  hand.  The  industry  was 
revolutionized  by  Xavier  Jouvin  who  is  said  to  have 
studied  the  hands  of  patients  in  the  Grenoble  hospital 
and  reduced  the  many  patterns  to  32  different  sizes 
which  were  then  reproduced  in  metal  dies.  With  the 
introduction  of  these  dies  a  number  of  gloves  of 
standard  sizes  and  shapes  could  be  cut  at  one  stroke 
of  the  machinery  instead  of' being  slowly  clipped  out 
with  shears.  The  invention  of  a  glove-sewing  ma- 
chine in  1847  gave  another  impetus  to  the  industry  and 
cheapened  the  process  so  much  that  the  price  of  gloves 
was  brought  within  the  reach  of  people  of  moderate 
means. 

Glove  Centers  of  France 

Grenoble  is  still  the  center  of  the  world's  glove  in- 
dustry. Its  former  rival,  Annonay,  has  become  a  great 
center  for  the  dressing  of  glove  leathers,  and,  with  the 
world's  best  kidskins  grown  in  the  mountains  of  south- 
eastern France,  the  highly  skilled  workmen  of  these 
two  centers  have  been  able  to  keep  their  enviable 

position. 

French  tanners  are  conservative  and  in  the  smaller 
centers  still  follow  the  old  methods,  but  the  larger 
establishments  have  modern  machinery.    The  "French 


I 


a 

w 


Ij 


196 


THE  GLOVE  DEPARTMENT 


Nationar*  skins  are  the  standard  for  fine  glove  leather. 
Besides  the  manufacturers  located  around  Grenoble, 
Paris,  Millau,  St.  Jamien,  and  other  French  cities  are 
important  glove  centers. 

Glove  Centers  in  Other  Coimtries 

Worcester  and  Martock  are  centers  of  glove  manu- 
facture in  England  and  are  justly  famed  for  the  quality 
of  their  heavy  gloves.  Nothing  can  be  more  satis- 
factory than  English  "dogskin,"  gloves  made  from 
the  skins  of  South  African  sheep. 

Germany  and  Austria  also  produce  heavy  leather 
gloves  and  Germany  makes  fine  fabric  gloves.  Brus- 
sels, Belgium,  is  another  glove  center. 

South  Amercia  is  developing  the  dressing  of  heavy 
glove  leathers,  Buenos  Aires  being  the  center  of  this 
industry. 

Glove-Making  in  the  United  States 

In  the  year  1760  Sir  William  Johnson,  a  Scotch 
glove  manufacturer,  came  to  Fulton  County,  New 
York,  bringing  with  him  a  group  of  skilled  workmen 
from  the  glove  guild  in  Perthshire.  This  was  the 
beginning  of  Gloversville. 

Men  cut  the  gloves  with  shears  and  women  took 
them  home  to  be  sewed  by  hand.  A  skein  of  silk  was 
in  each  package  for  embroidering  the  vine  on  the  back 


HISTORY  OF  GLOVES 


197 


of  the  gloves.  They  were  pressed  between  pasteboards 
and  returned  to  the  factory.  In  1809  trade  had  been 
established  as  far  as  Albany  and  in  1825  a  lumber 
wagon  full  of  gloves  was  taken  to  Boston. 

The  industry  has  developed  rapidly  since  that  date. 
Foreign  skilled  workmen  have  been  encouraged  to 
settle  in  the  district  and  now  the  towns  of  Gloversville 
and  Johnstown,  both  in  Fulton  County,  supply  over 
one-half  of  the  gloves  made  in  the  United  States.  The 
whole  region  is  given  to  glove-making.  Chicago  is  the 
second  important  center  of  the  glove  industry. 

The  United  States  has  developed  chrome  tanning 
and  other  processes  for  washable  leather  and  has  per- 
fected glove-making  machines. 

American  manufacturers,  in  addition  to  native 
leathers,  also  import  skins  from  England,  Italy, 
Belgium,  and  South  America. 


1  ,1 


ii 


I 


i 


Chapter  XXVIII 
KNOWLEDGE  AND  CARE  OF  GLOVE  STOCK 

Knowledge  Which  a  Glove  Salesperson  Needs 

A  knowledge  of  glove  leathers,  the  qualities  and 
characteristics  of  each,  and  their  relative  durability  and 
serviceability  is  necessary  to  good  salesmanship  in  a 
glove  department.  Familiarity  with  the  different  cuts 
and  their  suitability  to  hands  of  various  shapes  and 
sizes  is  equally  important. 

"Sizes"  are  only  guides  not  to  be  used  without  test- 
ing the  glove  on  the  hand,  as  some  makes  "rtm  large" 
and  some  small  and  they  differ  in  length  of  finger, 
width  of  hand,  and  other  special  ways,  which  make 
them  either  suitable  or  else  quite  wrong  for  a  certain 
type  of  hand.  Care  in  selecting  the  size  which  fits  a 
customer's  hand  (rather  than  the  size  she  may  have 
been  wearing)  will  sometimes  make  necessary  an  ex- 
planation of  the  reason  that  the  old  glove  was  torn  out 
or  split.  A  look  at  the  old  glove  will  often  reveal  its 
misfit. 

Colors  which  are  to  be  worn  in  daylight  should  be 
seen  in  daylight  and  evening  gloves  under  artificial 
light,  as  glove  colors  are  among  those  most  affected 
by  differences  in  light. 

198 


KNOWLEDGE  AND  CARE  OF  GLOVE  STOCK  199 

A  glove  salesperson  needs  a  strong  back  and  firm 
capable  hands  combined  with  exquisite  neatness  and 
daintiness. 

Knowledge  of  Prevailing  Dress  Fashions 

A  glove  salesperson  should  also  know  the  prevailing 
fashions  in  gloves  suitable  for  special  occasions,  as 
customers  often  ask  her  advice,  while,  on  the  other 
hand,  "people  who  know"  like  to  be  shown  the  right 
thing  at  once.  In  one  store,  this  seeking  of  fashion 
knowledge  is  divided  from  time  to  time.  For  example, 
one  glove  saleswoman  will  watch  the  fur  fashions  very 
closely;  another  the  style  in  suits  and  coats;  still 
another  will  make  a  little  report  on  shoe  fashions— all 
contributing  to  the  general  fund  of  fashion  knowledge. 
In  this  connection,  it  is  especially  important  that 
glove  colors  match  the  best  selling  suits  and  shoes. 
This  requires  close  and  continual  study  on  the  part  of 
everyone,  including  the  buyer,  head-of-stock,  and  sales- 
people. 

Garment  styles,  especially  sleeves,  have  a  strong  in- 
fluence on  the  length  and  cut  of  gloves.  Knowledge  of 
the  fashionable  in  clothes  and  shoes  will  help  in 
suggesting  harmonious  combinations  of  gloves  with 

costumes. 

Suggestive  selling  is  not  only  natural  in  a  glove 
'department  but  of  real  service  to  the  customer  because 


I 

i 


200 


THE  GLOVE  DEPARTMENT 


of  the  relation  between  gloves  and  the  rest  of  the 
costume.  Suggestions  as  to  mending  and  cleaning 
gloves  are  often  welcomed. 

Care  of  Glove  Stock 

Gloves  should  be  handled  carefully  and  kept  wrapped 
in  tissue  paper  in  dust-tight  drawers.  The  clasp  or 
bottom  sides  should  be  kept  together  with  tissue  paper 
between.  Tissue  paper  containing  strong  chemicals 
will  injure  the  color  of  gloves. 

The  arrangement  of  stock  should  be  systematic  in 
order  to  avoid  delay  in  finding  the  sizes,  colors,  or 
makes  wanted.  For  the  same  reason  forward  stock 
should  always  be  complete.  After  fitting,  great  care 
should  be  taken  in  reshaping,  matching,  and  wrapping, 
and  if  a  glove  has  been  slightly  injured  in  fitting  or 
soiled  in  handling  it  should  be  cleaned  and  repaired  at 
once.  Art  gum  will  quickly  remove  small  spots. 
Gloves  are  aflFected  by  extremes  of  heat  or  cold,  strong 
light,  and  dampness  and  should  be  guarded  against  all 
of  these.  Colored  gloves  fade  quickly  in  a  strong  light 
and  are  also  affected  by  gas  on  account  of  the  sulphuric 
acid  it  contains. 

Importance  of  Correct  Fitting 

The  fitting  of  kid  gloves  helps  materially  to  reduce 
the  amount  of  returns  and  a  glove  properly  fitted  not 


KNOWLEDGE  AND  CARE  OF  GLOVE  STOCK  201 

only  looks  better  but  wears  longer.  A  glove  sales- 
woman should  be  able,  after  looking  at  a  hand,  to  tell 
whether  the  glove  fingers  should  be  long,  short,  or 
medium  length  and  whether  the  hand  is  slender  or 
requires  extra  fullness  in  the  palm.  It  is  well  to  look 
at  the  old  gloves,  especially  if  the  hand  to  be  fitted  is 
unusual. 

Selecting  the  Proper  Glove 

In  selecting  the  nearest  size  in  stock  for  the  hand  to 
be  fitted  one  must  not  only  observe  the  differences  in 
the  "cuts"  of  different  manufacturers  but  also  the 
quality  of  the  leather.  The  better  gloves  are  more 
elastic  and  therefore  will  more  readily  take  the  shape 

of  the  hand. 

There  are  certain  general  principles  which  may  act 
as  a  guide  to  correct  fitting. 

1.  Normal  hands  take  regulation  sizes.  By  a 
"normal"  hand  is  meant  a  shapely  hand,  neither  thick 
nor  thin,  with  fingers  of  medium  length. 

2.  A  hand  with  soft,  compressible  flesh  takes  a  size 
or  half-size  smaller  than  the  regulation  ones.  A  stout 
firm  hand  needs  a  very  elastic  glove. 

3.  A  hand  with  solid  flesh  and  long  thick  fingers 
with  large  heavy  joints  requires  a  glove  larger  than 
regulation  size.  A  thin  hand  requires  a  long  narrow 
glove. 


202 


THE  GLOVE  DEPARTMENT 


4.  A  soft  hand  with  short  chubby  fingers  requires  a 
special  short-fingered  glove. 

5.  A  short  broad  hand  is  frequently  best  fitted  in  a 
misses'  size;  for  street  wear,  in  a  boy's  glove. 

In  selecting  the  glove  most  suitable  as  to  stitching 
and  sewing  for  individual  hands,  the  pique  seam  or 
the  overseam  is  most  desirable  for  the  short,  plump 
hand,  as  the  prix  seam  accentuates  the  shortness  and 
thickness  of  the  hand.  The  overseam  is  naturally  most 
suitable  for  light-weight  and  dress  gloves,  the  pique 
for  medium  weight  or  street  wear.  The  prix  seam  is 
heavy  and  substantial  in  appearance  and  hence  ap- 
propriate for  driving,  sport,  or  walking  gloves. 

Fitting  the  Glove 

To  fit  the  glove  the  saleswoman  should  have  a  clean 
dry  hand  and  the  gloves  should  be  stretched  and 
powdered.  The  right  hand  should  always  be  measured 
and  the  right  glove  selected  for  fitting  unless  for  some 
reason  the  customer  prefers  the  fitting  of  the  left  hand. 
This  may  be  because  she  is  left-handed  which  naturally 
makes  this  hand  the  larger. 

After  seeing  that  the  customer  is  comfortably  seated, 
that  is,  sitting  sideways,  the  elbow  properly  protected 
on  the  cushion  or  pad  and  the  hand  powdered,  draw 
the  four  fingers  on  first  and  then  the  thumb,  having 
the  seam  of  the  thumb  over  the  middle  of  the  thumb 


KNOWLEDGE  AND  CARE  OF  GLOVE  STOCK  203 

nail  and  all  seams  and  stitching  straight.  A  light  but 
firm  touch  is  needed  with  no  waste  motion  to  soil  the 
glove  unnecessarily  or  irritate  the  customer. 

Gloves  should  never  be  forced  on  but  gradually 
drawn  and  shaped  over  the  fingers — never  pushed  down 
between  the  fingers.  The  glove  should  be  held  by  the 
center  of  the  back  and  never  by  the  corners.  At  the 
wrist  it  should  be  carefully  stretched  until  the  clasp 
meets.  If  it  will  not  meet  there  comfortably  it  is  too 
small  or  too  short  and  is  liable  to  tear  out  when  first 
worn.  The  clasps  should  be  well  down  on  the  wrist  to 
stand  the  test  of  use. 

After  fitting,  the  gloves  should  be  gently  removed 
by  being  drawn  off  backwards,  or  wrong  side  out,  and 
never  pulled  off  by  the  finger  tips.  They  should  be 
turned  the  right  side  out  and  reshaped  while  yet  warm 
and  moist  from  the  hand,  then  carefully  wrapped  and 
placed  again  in  the  proper  box  or  drawer.  All  gloves 
not  in  perfect  condition  should  be  placed  in  a  separate 
drawer  and  repaired  and  made  salable  as  soon  as 
possible  instead  of  being  brought  out  time  after  time 
for  fitting  only  to  be  found  imperfect. 

When  sending  out  gloves  on  orders  the  gloves 
should  be  carefully  stretched  and  liberally  powdered. 


Styles 


Staple  styles  in  misses'  and  women's  kid  gloves  are 


C04 


THE  GLOVE  DEPARTMENT 


long,  8  to  30  buttons  or  clasps,  and  short,  i,  2,  or  3 
buttons  or  clasps.  The  i6-button  is  the  regulation 
elbow  length  reaching  just  above  the  elbow,  while  the 
i2-button  length  comes  just  below.  Long  fabric  gloves 
are  12,  16,  and  20  buttons,  and  short,  i,  2,  and  3  clasp. 
The  8-button  length  comes  just  above  the  wrist. 

Gauntlet  gloves  are  gloves  with  cuffs.  They  are 
longer  than  wrist  lengths  and  come  in  both  soft  and 
stiff  cuffs.    They  are  used  for  driving  and  sport  wear. 

Sizes 

Women's  and  misses*  kid  gloves  come  in  quarter- 
inch  sizes  from  S'A  to  8>4  and  in  short,  medium,  and 
long  finger  lengths.  Fabric  gloves  come  in  half-inch 
sizes  and  are  usually  sold  a  half  size  larger  than  kid, 
as  they  are  not  so  elastic.  ^ 

Men's  gloves  come  in  sizes  6^  to  10.  Children  s 
glove  sizes  run  from  cxxx)  to  7-  As  the  little  hand 
is  soft  and  plump,  a  fine-textured  leather  fits  best  and 
gives  the  most  comfort.  The  hand  should  not  be 
fitted  too  closely  as  it  is  changing  in  shape  and  size, 
and  also  needs  more  freedom  than  a  grown  person's 
hand. 

French  System  of  Sizes 

The  French  system  of  glove  sizes  is  called  "blind'* 
because  the  customer  does  not  understand  it  and  there- 


KNOWLEDGE  AND  CARE  OF  GLOVE  STOCK  205 

fore  is  not  likely  to  insist  on  a  size  too  small  for  her 
hand.  Since  gloves  differ  in  elasticity  and  all  makes  do 
not  run  exactly  the  same,  a  certain  size  may  be  right 
in  one  glove  and  not  in  another.  Hands  also  have  been 
known  to  grow  larger.  The  blind  sizes  give  the  sales- 
person an  opportunity  to  measure  a  hand  and  fit  it 
correctly. 


COMPARISION  OF  AMERICAN  AND  FRENCH   SYSTEMS 

American 

sH 

6 

6>4 


French 
Y.526 

Z.525 
A. 624 
B.623 
C.622 


7 

JYa 
8 


D.621 

H.720 

1. 719 

K.718 

L.717 
M.816 


A  is  6,  B  is  6^,  C  is  6/a,  D  is  6^,  H  is  7, 1  is  tVa,  K  is  75^, 
L  is  7^,  and  M  is  8.    A,  B,  C,  and  D  are  6,  6>i,  6/2,  and 

The  figures  624  that  go  with  A,  623  with  B,  etc., 
are  metric  measurements  used  in  olden  times  in  France. 
French  sizes  are  different  from  the  old  pfein  sizes. 
They  are  accurate. 

The  old  sizes  were  "favored"  more  or  less— m  the 


I 


206 


THE  GLOVE  DEPARTMENT 


attempt  to  get  large  enough  gloves  on  women's  hands. 
Each  manufacturer's  measuring  is  different  from  the 
others*. 

Never  use  any  but  a  French  size  measure  in  selling 
gloves.  The  reason  for  this  is  simple.  A  slender 
hand  may  be  very  wide.  A  narrow  hand  may  be  very 
fat  and  thick.  A  glove  must  fit  not  only  the  width  of 
a  hand,  but,  most  important,  the  bulk.  A  measure 
must  go  clear  around  a  hand  to  measure  this  bulk. 


Chapter  XXIX 
CARE  AND  CLEANING  OF  GLOVES 

Care  of  Gloves  Not  in  Use 

The  durability  and  appearance  of  leather  depends 
very  largely  on  the  care  which  is  given  it.  Glove 
leather,  being  thin  and  soft,  is  particularly  liable  to 
abuse  through  rough  or  careless  handling. 

Gloves  should  be  removed  by  drawing  them  off  back- 
wards or  wrong  side  out  by  the  wrist  and  never  by 
pulling  them  off  by  the  finger  tips.  They  should  then 
be  turned  right  side  out  and  gently  pulled  into  shape 
while  still  moist,  folded  carefully  and  laid  flat  with 
the  palms  together  in  a  box  or  drawer  free  from  dust. 
White  or  light-colored  gloves  should  be  still  further 
protected  by  wrapping  them  in  fresh  tissue  paper. 
Paper  loaded  with  chemicals  will  turn  white  gloves 
yellow.    Blue  paper  best  preserves  the  color. 

If  gloves  are  noticeably  damp  from  perspiration  they 
should  be  allowed  to  dry  before  being  put  in  a  closed 
box  and  they  should  be  thoroughly  dry  before  being 
worn.  As  leather  needs  oil,  the  natural  oil  of  the 
hands  will  help  to  keep  it  in  good  condition  and  gloves 
should  not  be  left  for  a  long  time  unworn,  as  they 

207 


fio8 


THE  GLOVE  DEPARTMENT 


will  become  dry  and  inelastic  and  tend  to  crack  or 
break  when  stretched  on  the  hand. 

Olive  or  castor  oil  or  vaseline  (if  free  from  acid) 
should  be  rubbed  on  heavy  driving  gloves  when  they 
are  not  in  use.  This  softens  and  feeds  the  leather  as 
well  as  making  them  water-proof. 

Cleaning 

Small  spots  on  light  colored  kid  gloves  may  be 
removed  with  art  gum  or  ether  and  the  fingers  may  be 
cleaned  with  preparations  similar  to  Carbona,  which, 
however,  will  soon  turn  white  gloves  yellow. 

Non-washable  leathers  may  be  cleansed  with 
gasoline  warmed  in  hot  water  and  rubbed  dry  on  the 
hand  with  a  soft  cloth.  As  gasoline  is  very  inflamma- 
ble this  cleaning  should  never  be  done  near  a  fire  or 
flame  of  any  kind,  or  in  a  closed  place  where  the  fumes 
will  be  confined.  If  the  precaution  is  taken  to  have 
a  current  of  air,  preferably  out  of  doors  or  at  an  open 
window,  one  may  feel  safe  in  using  it.  The  gloves 
should  not  be  hung  near  a  flame  while  still  saturated 
with  gasoline  as  they  will  readily  catch  fire,  but  a  gentle 
heat  will  help  to  remove  the  tmpleasant  odor. 

Washing 

Washable  leathers  should  be  washed  in  tepid  water 
with  a  mild  soap  (containing  no  free  acid  or  alkali). 


CARE  AND  CLEANING  OF  GLOVES    209 

Soft  water  is  preferred  to  hard.  Warm  milk  con- 
taining the  beaten  yolk  of  an  egg  (one  egg  to  each 
pint)  is  sometimes  used  with  satisfactory  results. 

Some  soap  should  be  added  to  the  rinsing  water 
(especially  for  hard  water)  to  restore  the  oil  which 
has  been  removed  from  the  skin  by  washing. 

Chrome-tanned  leathers  may  be  washed  in  hot  water, 
but  not  suede  or  chamois.  A  mild  heat  will  not  injure 
the  leather  but  it  will  become  dry  and  brittle  if  strong 
artificial  heat  is  used  or  if,  on  the  other  hand,  the  air 
is  very  damp  so  that  it  dries  too  slowly.  It  is  best  to 
dry  them  slowly  in  a  current  of  natural  air. 

Silk  gloves  should  be  washed  in  tepid  water  with 
a  pure  mild  soap.  They  should  not  be  wrung  or 
crushed  but  pressed  in  a  dry  towel  and  pulled  gently 
into  shape  when  partly  dry. 

When  white  silk  gloves  have  become  slightly  yellow 
they  may  be  bleached  by  holding  them  over  sulphur 
fumes.  Hot  water,  strong  soap,  or  a  hot  iron  will 
always  turn  silk  yellow. 

Cotton  or  lisle  gloves  may  be  washed  like  any  other 
fine  cotton  goods,  but  chamoisette  must  be  washed  in 
tepid  water  because  of  the  rubber  contained  in  the 
material.  For  the  same  reason  they  should  never  be 
ironed.  Brushing  up  the  nap  restores  the  velvety  ap- 
pearance of  sueded  cotton  gloves. 

Woolen  gloves  and  mittens  must  be  washed  with 

14 


aio 


THE  GLOVE  DEPARTMENT 


care,  like  flannels.  The  water  must  not  be  too  hot  nor 
cold,  but  luke  warm.  A  little  soap  should  be  left  in 
the  rinsing  water.  They  should  never  be  wrung  or 
twisted  but  have  the  water  pressed  out  of  them. 


Chapter  XXX 

CLASSIFICATION  OF  STOCK  OF  THE  GLOVE 

DEPARTMENT 

Divisions 

A.  Women's  Gloves 

B.  Misses'  and  Children's  Gloves 

C.  Men's  Gloves 

A — ^Women's  Gloves 

I.  Kid 

I.  Kinds 

(a)  Glace 

French  Kid 

Lamb 

Chevrette 

Cape 

Washable  Kid 

Schmaschen 

Dog 

(b)  Suede 

Doeskin  (r 
Chamois  6^ 
Mocha  i^ 
Washable  Suede 
Buckskin  * 

211 


«I2  THE  GLOVE  DEPARTMENT 

2.  Sizes 

(a)  Numbers:  syi  to  8^  (in  ^  inches) 

(b)  Finger  Lengths:  Short,  Medium,  Long 

3.  Styles 

(a)  Long:  8  to  30  Buttons 

(b)  Short:  i,  2,  and  3  Buttons  or  Clasps 

(c)  Mousquetaire,    Grip,    Auto,     Gauntlet, 

Novelty 

4.  Colors 

(a)  Black  and  White 

(b)  Browns 

(c)  Grays 

(d)  Navy 

(e)  Green 

5.  DecoratioH 

(a)  Stitching 

Filet 

Paris  Points 

Spear  Points 

3,  4,  or  5  Row  Embroidery 

(b)  Sewing 

Round  Seam 
Pique  Seam 
Prix  Seam 

II.  Fabric 

I.  Kinds 

(a)  Silk 

Milanese 
Tricot 

(b)  Cotton 

Lisle 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  STOCK 


213 


(c)  Wool 

Golf  Gloves 
Mittens 

2.  Sizes:  51^  to  9  (in  1/2  inches) 

3.  Styles 

(a)  Long:  12,  16,  and  20  Button 

(b)  Short:  i,  2,  or  3  Clasp 

4.  Colors :  Same  as  kids 

5.  Decoration 

(a)  Stitching:  Same  as  kids 

(b)  Novelties 

B— Misses*  and  Children's  Gloves 

1.  Kinds,    Colors,    Decorations    (see    "Women's 

Gloves") 

2.  Sizes:  0000  to  7 

3.  Styles:  Short  and  Long 

C — Men's  Gloves 
I.  Kid 

1.  Kinds 

(a)  Glace 

Kid 
Cape  • 

Dog  *^   , 
Horse  -^ 

(b)  Suede:  Same  as  women's  gloves 

2.  Sizes 

(a)  Numbers:  654  to  10 

(b)  Finger  Lengths 

Regulation 
Cadet 


I 


li 


«I4 


THE  GLOVE  DEPARTMENT 

3.  Styles 

(a)  I  Button  or  Qasp 

(b)  Gauntlet,    Motor,    Working,    Driving, 

Golf 

4.  Colors 

(a)  Black  and  White 

(b)  Browns 

(c)  Grays 

5.  Decoration 

(a)  Stitching 

Paris  Points 
Spear  Points 

(b)  Sewing 

Pique  Seam 
Prix  Seam 

II.  Fabric 

1.  Kinds 

(a)  Silk 

Milanese*' 
Tricot  ► 

(b)  Cotton 

Lisle    . 

(c)  Wool 

Golf  Gloves 
Mittens 

2.  Sizes 

3.  Colors 

4.  Decoration 


i 


Appendix 

Books  for  Reference 

The  Manufacture  of  Leather,  Hugh  Garner  Bennett.    Van 

Nostrand,  $4.50 
The  Making  of  Leather,  H.  R.  Proctor.    Putnam,  $1 
The  Art  of  Tanning  Leather,  Kennedy.     (Out  of  Print) 
Text  Book  of  Tanning,  H.  R  Proctor.    Spon 
Leather    Trades    Chemistry.    S.    R    Trotman.    Lippincott, 

$4.50 
Treatise  on  the  Leather  Industry,  A.  M.  Villon.    Van  Nos- 
trand, $10 
Leather  Manufacture,  A.  Watt.    Van  Nostrand,  $4 
Shoe  and  Leather  Lexicon,  Boot  and  Shoe  Recorder  Pub- 
lishing Co.     (Boston) 
Commerce  and  Industry,  J.  Russel  Smith.    Holt,  $1.40 
The  Wonders  of   Science  in  Modern  Life,  Henry   Smith 

Williams.     Funk  &  Wagnalls 
Dyes  and  Dyeing,  C.  E.  Pellew.    McBride,  Nast  &  Co.,  $2 
Artistic  Leather  Work,  E.  Ellen  Carter.    Spon  &  Chamber- 
lain, $1 
The  Decoration  of  Leather,  G.  DeRecy.    Dutton,  $3 
Nitrocellulose  Industry,  E.  C.  Worden.    Van  Nostrand,  $10 
Leather  Manufacture  (Trade  Journal) 
Trunks,  Leather  Goods,  and  Umbrellas  (Trade  Journal) 
Paper  Mill  and  Pulp  News  (Trade  Journal) 


215 


■ 


INDEX 


Acids  and  Alkalies,  effect  on  leather, 

154 
Albums,  128 
Alligator,  4. 10,  71.  75 
Alum  Tanning  (See  "Tawing") 
Amber.  116 
Aniline  Dyes.  60 
Annonav,  165 
Arm- BOARD,  73 
Australian  Wool,  183 
AuTOMoaas  Supplies,  1S3 


B 

Bag-making      (See      also 
bags") 

attaching  to  frame,  84 

comers,  83 

finishing,  8S 

lining,  84 

outside,  83 

sizes,  80 
Bags, 

fitted,  105,  "O 

materials,  82 

styles,  80 
Balmoral  Bag,  80 
Bark,  26 

Baskets,  Desk,  127 
Bath  Dyeing,  s7 
Bleaching,  43 
Blue,  the,  39»  59 
Bonnet  Box,  86. 90 


"Hand- 


Box  Calf,  73 
Branning,  171 
Brass.  98 

Brief-cases  and  Music  Fouos,  128 
Bristles  (See  also  "Brushes") 
fiber,  113 
sources. 

American,  Chinese,  French,  Ger- 
man, 113 
Siberian,  112 
Bronzed  Leather,  6a 
Brushes, 
backs.  ZX4 
bristles, 
compotmd  drawn,  zi8 
compound  set,  118 
care  of,  X19 
manufacture,  zzS 
qualities,  lis 
Buckskin,  7.  i7S,  188 
Buenos  Ayres  Hides,  13 
Buffing.  76 


Cabin-Top  Bag,  81 
Cable  Seam,  179 
Cadet  Gloves.  188 
Calfskin,  s,  73,  i33.  x88 

Danish,  144 
Cape,  167.  188,  190 
Care  of  Gloves  (See  "Glomes,  care 

and  cleaning") 
Care  of  Leather,  150 
Cakry-all.  81.  90 


317 


2l8 


INDEX 


Cblluloid,  115    (See  also  "Notions 

Manual") 
Chamois,  8,  134, 168. 174.  t88,  190 
Chamoybd  Lbather  Dyeing,  60 
Chamoying. 

bleaching.  43 

definition,  25,  4 x 

fat-liquoring,  43 

glove  leathers,  172,  X73 

preparation  of  skins.  41 

Stocking  or  milling,  43 

use,  41 

washing  and  pressing,  43 
Chemical  Tannagb,  25 
Chevrbau,  165 
Chevrette,  165 
Chrome  Tanning,  35 

characteristics,  38 

glove  leathers.  172,  188 

history,  39 

process,  38 
Chrome-Tanned  Leather,  47,  59,  73 

pattern,  73 
Clasp  and  Trimmings,  Materials, 

79 
Cleansing  Skins,  17 
Clothes  Brushes  (See  "Brushes") 
Coal  Tar  Dyes,  60 
Collapsible  Bag,  81 
Colors.  61,  6s,  72,  87, 148 
Colt,  Russian,  144 
CoLTSKiN,  8,  71.  74 
Cordovan,  581  92, 94>  ia8>  I4a 
Cotton, 

Egyptian,  183 

sea  island.  183 
Covers,  128 

Cowhide,  s.  7I,  73,  74.  X33 
Crinoline  Design,  102 
Crocodile  Skin,  4,  71.  75 
Currying  (See  also  "  Dressing") 

definition,  45 

purpose,  45 

shaving,  46 


Decoration  of  Leather, 
color,  131 
designs.  132,  136 
gilding  and  bronzing,  13  z 
methods  used  for  different  leathen, 

133 

staining,  130 

stenciling,  131 

tooling,  129 

tools,  134 
Deerskins,  7.  81 
Dehairing.  20.  17 X 
Design     (See     "Decoration     of 

Leather") 
DiiSK  Baskets.  127 
Desk  Sets.  127 
Doeskin.  175 
Doling,  173 
Dressing  (See  also  "  Currying") 

animal  oils,  50 

dnun-stuffing,  52 

effect  on  leather,  154 

fillers,  52 

glue,  52 

hand-stufi&ng,  5a 

oils,  49 

soaps,  51 

varnishes.  5X 

vegetable  oils,  51 

waxes,  51 
Drying,  15.  33,  53 
Dyeing, 

bath,  57 

chamoyed  leather,  60 

chrome-tanned  leather,  59 

flat  surface,  58 

general  principles,  55 

methods,  57 

silk,  97 

water,  56 
Dyes. 

aniline,  6z 


INDEX 


219 


Dyes — Continusd 
kinds.  60 
natural,  6x 


B 


Ebonite.  xx5 

Egging.  35 

Electrical  Tanning,  25 

Elkskin.  7 

Embroidery   (See  "Gloves,  Decora> 

tion") 
Enameled  Leather,  76,  94 


F 


Fat-Liquors.  43. 49 
Fiber,  87 
Filet,  179 
Finishing  Procbssbs. 

boarding,  73 

buffing.  76 

embossing.  74 

enameling.  76 

fluffing.  75 

glossing  or  glazing,  73 

glove  leathers,  173,  174 

graining,  72 

patent  leather,  77 

satin  or  glove  leathers,  79 

waxed  leathers,  78 
Fishskins,  10.  92 
Fleshing,  21 

Formaldehyde  Tanning,  25.  40.  173 
Fourchettes,  177,  178 
French  Kid,  37 
French  National  Gloves,  165 
Frogskin,  ix 
Full  Pique  Gloves,  179 


Gas,  Epfbct  on  Lbathbr,  153 
German  Silver,  98 


GlacA  Gloves,  164,  z68.  X74 

Gladstone  Bag,  8x 

Glazed  Leather,  37.  38.  39.  66.  67, 

73 
Glove  Leathers,  58 
cape,  166,  167 
chamois,  165,  x68 
characteristics.  169 
kid.  16s 

chevreau,  165 

chevrette.  165 

French  National.  165 
lambskin.  165.  166 
mocha,  166,  167 
Schmaschen,  169 
sheepskin,  166 
Glove  Skins,  Preparation, 
branning,  169,  171 
chamoying,  173 
chrome  tannage,  172 
cleansing,  169.  170 
dehairing.  169,  17X 
doling,  173 
finishing,  173 

formaldehyde  tannage,  X73 
liming.  169.  170 
tanning,  172 
tawing,  172 

treatment  of  washable  leathen,  174 
Gloves, 
care  and  cleaning, 

cleaning,  208 

removing  from  hands,  307 

washing,  308  ^ 

wrapping,  207 
centers,  195 
children's,  189 
cotton,  185 

chamoisette,  164,  x86 

chamoisuede,  186 

doette,  x86 

lisle,  164,  186 

suede  lisle.  186 

suedine,  186 


^.mm^ 


220  INDEX 

Gloves — Continue^ 
decoration, 

embroidery,  178-179 
filet,  178-179 
Paris  points,  179 
plain  points,  178 
spear  points,  Z79 
stitching,  178 
fabric, 

characteristics.  185 
cutting  and  sewing,  184 
divisions  of  department,  164 
manufacture,  183 
materials,  182 
French  National,  i6s,  166 
glac6.  163,  168,  179 
history,  Z93 
knitted,  164.  186,  187 
linings, 

chamois,  191 
cotton,  191 
fleece,  19Z 
fur,  191 
knitted,  X9X 
lambskin,  19Z 
leather,  191 
linen.  191 
seamless,  19^ 
silk,  I9Z 
slip-in,  193 
wool,  191 
manufacture, 
cutting,  177 
decoration,  17S 
finishing,  180 
laying  off,  180 
parts,  177.  178 
patterns,  176 
sewing,  Z79 
men  s, 
cadet,  188 
colors,  188 
doette,  189 
grip  palms,  z88 


Gzx>VBS — Continued 
men's — Continued 
horsehide,  188 
loose  pattern.  z88 
motor  and  driving.  z88 
sUk. 189 
modem  industry,  Z94 
parts, 

fourchettes,  Z77,  Z78,  Z79 
hearts.  177.  178,  Z79 
quirks.  Z77.  Z78.  Z79 
seams, 
cable,  Z79 
over.  179 
pique.  Z79.  z88 
prix,  Z79-Z88 
round.  Z79 
sUk, 

double  tipping,  z85 
jersey.  184 
Milanese,  Z84 
•ource  of.  z83 
tricot,  184 
sizes. 

American  system,  aos 
French  system,  20S 
men's  sizes,  304 
women's  sizes.  304 
suede.  Z63,  z68,  Z73 
wool,  Z83 
Glovb-shob  Leather.  79 
Goatskin, 

characteristics,  6,  7Z 
sources,  6,  7Z 
Golf  Gloves.  Z89 
Graining.  93.  94 
Green  Hides,  z5 
Grenoble,  its 
Gun  Metal,  99 


Hair  Brushes  (See  "Brushes") 
Hair,  in  the.  Z70 


INDEX 


221 


Hair  Removing,  30 
Half-Pique  Gloves,  Z79 
Hand-Bags  (See  also  " Bag- Making") 

attaching,  zoo 

clasps  and  trimmings,  97 

cutting,  99 

sewing,  100 

varieties,  3,  91 
Hard  Rubber,  zzs 
Hat  Box,  86,  90 
Hearts,  177.  178 
Heat.  Effect  on  Leather,  isx 
Hemlock  Bark.  26 
Hides  (See  "Skins") 
History  of  Gloves, 

antiquity,  193 

introduction  of  machinery,  X94 

modem  industry,  194 
History  of  Leather, 

antiquity,  Z38 

in  United  SUtes,  Z40 

primitive  methods  of  tanning,  Z39 

sources  of  raw  material,  Z4Z 
Hold-all,  81 
Horsehide,  8,  71.  74.  188 

Russian,  144 


Imitation  Leather  (See  "Substitute 

leather") 
Industry  (See  "Leather  industry") 
Ivory,  117  (See  also  "Jewelry  and 

Silverware  Manual") 


Japanned  Leather,  76 


Kangaroo,  9 

Kid,  7. 37  (See also  "Glove  leathers") 

Kzps,  Z4 


Kit  Bag,  8x 
Knitting  Machines, 

adjustable,  Z87 

circular,  Z87 

flat  fabric,  z86 

history,  186 

mitten,  187 

stocking  frames,  186 


Lambskin,  6,  z66,  z68 
Laying  Off  Gloves,  z8o 
Leamington  Bag.  80,  8x 
Leather, 
affected  by, 

acids  and  alkalies,  X54 
heat,  Z51 
light  and  gas,  Z53 
oil,  Z53 

paste,  polish,  dressing,  154 
water,  isz 
care  of,  zso 
decoration    (See    "Decoration    of 

leather") 
differences  in,  4 
divisions  of  the  department,  i 
finishes,  93 

history  of  (See  "History  of  leather") 
qualities  (See  "  Qualities  of  leather") 
stock,  X 
varieties,  91 
Leather  Industry, 
modem  centers,  Z3S 
other  coimtries,  Z43 
United  States,  X4X 
Leather-Board,  68 
Leatherines,  70 
Leatheroid,  70 
Lee,  William,  z86 
Levant,  6,  73,  93,  94.  i»8 
Library  Equipment,  Articles,  136 
Library  Sets.  Z27 
Light,  Effect  on  Leather,  zs3 


I 


222 


INDEX 


Liming,  i8,  170 

Linings,  84,  147 

Linings,  Glovb  (See  "Gloves,  Lin- 

ings") 
Lisle  Thread.  183 
Luncheon  Cases.  90,  zzz 

M 

Madison  Bag,  80 
Manicure  Sets. 

complete,  107 

simple,  108 
Matting,  87 
Metal  Mounts,  07 
Milanese  Silk,  184 
Mhtens,  i8s,  187 
Mitts,  190 

Mocha,  76,  167.  i7S.  188,  190 
Morocco,  a,  75.  92.  128,  133 
Motor-Railbag,  8 1 
Motor  Toilet  Cases,  110 


N 


Napa  Dip,  17a 
Nickel,  98 


Oak  Bark,  36 
Offenbach-am-Main,  136 
Oils,  32,  42,  50,  iSO,  152 

effect  on  leather,  153 
Over-Night  Bag,  81 
Over-Night  Case,  86,  109 
Overseam,  179 
Oxhides,  13 


Pastes,  Polishes,  and   Dressings, 

154 
Pasting,  35 
Patent  Leather,  77 


Pelts  (See  "Skins") 
Picnic  Baskets,  hi 
Pigskin.  8.  71,  74.  I34 
Pique  Gloves,  179 

POCKETBOOKS.  Id 

Points,  178,  179 
Polishes,  154 
Porpoise  Skin,  10 
Portfolios,  127 
Prix  Seam,  179 
Pullman  Bags,  109 
Purses,  9it  loz 


Quamties  of  Leather, 

color,  6s 

differences  in,  4 

durability.  64 

finish,  65 

good  leather,  63 

resistance  to  water,  6$ 

softness,  64 

texture,  63,  I33 
Quirks,  177.  178,  i79 


R 


Raising,  33 

Raw  hides,  I3  (See  also  "Skins") 

Raw,  in  the,  170 

Recording  Books,  128 

Rounding,  33 

Russia  Leather,  94. 138,  i33t  X44 


8 


Salespeople,  Suggestions. 

gloves, 

care  of  stock,  300 
correct  fitting.  200,  303 
dress  fashions,  199 
selecting  proper  gloves,  301 
sizes,  198,  304 


INDEX 


223 


Salespeople  Suggestions— Cotrttnited 
leather  goods, 

arrangement  and  display,  146 

care,  150 

manufacture,  148 

material,  147 

suitability,  149 
Satin  Leather,  79 
ScHULTZ,  August,  39 
Scouring,  48 
Seal  Grain,  73 
Sealskin,  9.  7i.  74 
Seams  (See  "Gloves,  seams") 
Sewing  Gloves,  178,  i79 
Sharkskin,  id 
Shaving,  6 

Sheepskin,  s.  7I.  I33.  166,  188,  189 
Shirt-Bottom  Bag,  8i 
Shoes.  19 
Silk  Bags,  95 
Sizes  of  Gloves  (See  "Gloves,  sizes") 

Skins. 

classification,  la 
hides,  14 
kips,  14 

methods  of  preservation,  is 

quality,  12 

salted,  15 

skins,  definition,  14 

sources,  141 

weight  and  size,  14 
raw, 

dried,  15 

dried  and  salted,  IS 

fresh  or  green,  IS 

grades.  13 
structure,  18 
Snakeskin,  II 
Sole-Leather,  19.  30 
Spanish  Leather,  i35 
Splits,  39.  47.  75.  77 
Splitting,  47 

Standard  Oblong  Suitcase,  8s 
Stationery  Cabinets,  137 


Stitching  Gloves.  178,  i79 
Stock, 

classification.  116 

leather,  i 
Stocked  Skins,  170 
Striking,  31 
Stuffing,  48,  53 
Substitute  Leather, 

chamois  leather.  70 

imitations,  68.  75 

leather- board,  68 

leatherine,  70 

leatheroid,  70 

reasons  for.  67 

varieties,  67 
Suede  Gloves,  163.  168,  173,  180 
Suede  Leather,  94 
Suitcases. 

body, 86 

fitted,  no 

linings,  88 

making,  88 

materials.  86 

styles,  85 
Sumac.  36,  38 
Swelling,  33 


Tannage  (See  "  Tanning") 
Tannin,  35 

sources. 

oak  and  hemlock  bark.  36 
sumac,  36,  38 
Tanning  (See  also  "Tawing") 

action  of  lime  on  skin,  19 

by  machine,  31 

chamoying,  33 

chemical,  35,  34 

chrome  tanning,  25.  38,  39.  59.  73 

cleansing.  17 

dehairing,  30 

electrical,  25,  44 

fleshing,  21 


224 


INDEX 


Tanning — Continued 

formaldehyde,  25,  34,  40 

glove  leathers,  172 

lining,  18 

methods,  modem,  29 

oiling,  32 

primitive  methods,  28,  139 

purpose,  24 

raising  and  swelling,  23 

rounding,  22 

sole-leather,  30 

structure  of  skin,  18 

sweating,  20 

vegetable,  25 
Tarboard, 87, 88 
Tawing, 

definition,  25 

disadvantages,  37 

egging  or  pasting.  35 

finishing  processes,  36 

glove  leathers,  172,  17S 

process,  35 
Tea  Baskets,  hi 
Telescope  Cases,  88 
Thermos  Bottles,  124 
Toilet  Articles,  106 

materials,  106 
Toilet  Cases,  ios 

manufacture,  109 
Tortoise     Shell,     117     (See     also 
"Jewelry   and    Silverware    Man- 
ual") 
Tranking.  176 
Tranks,  177 
Traveling  Accessories,  121 

automobile  supplies,  123 

materials,  122 

thermos  bottles,  124 


Traveling  Bags, 

fitted,  HO 

points  desired,  148 

styles,  8s 
Tricot  Silk,  184 
Tumbler,  36 


United    States    Glove    Industry, 

196 
United  States  Leather  Industry, 

140 


Vachette,  94 

Vegetable  Tanning,  25,  38 

VELLintf,    134 

Victoria  Bag,  80 
W 

Wallaby,  9 

Walrus  Skin,  9.  7i,  74 

Washable    Glove    Leather.     174. 

188 
Washing,  43 
Washington  Bag,  80 
Water,  Effect  on  Leather.  iS7 
Waxed  Leathers.  78 
Week-End  Box.  85 
White,  in  the,  178 
Wicker,  87 
Windsor  Bag,  80 
Wool   Gloves,    Mittens,   Linings, 

191 


Date  Due 


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